Wycliffe Muga

What ambassador
Godec got right
Comment: Page 22

Turkana school

Help for Lolengelup that

took 31 years to sit KCPE
Education: Page 30-31

FRESH, INDEPENDENT, DIFFERENT

NO. 2595
thursday, february 18, 2016

www.the-star.co.ke

KSh60/00 (Tsh1,000, Ush2,000)

Sakaja insists URP merger will happen

TNA MPs now

oppose plan
to dissolve

story page 6

Ruto campaigns for Jubilee man in Kericho

Tunoi offered
to retire if
committee
cleared him
BY STAR REPORTER
Supreme Court judge Philip Tunoi
offered to resign, rather than face the
Special Judicial Service Committee
over a Sh200 million bribe allegation,
the Star has learnt.
The judge met Chief Justice Willy
Mutunga and gave an undertaking
to quit, if the JSC Special Committee
cleared him.
However, the JSC rejected the
offer and established the committee
that on February 5 found Tunoi
culpable, cited gross misconduct
and recommended President
Uhuru Kenyatta form a tribunal to
story on page 6

Photo/ charles kimani/dpps

More illegal
sugar seized
at Joho firm
by MAUREEN MUDI
and CALVIN ONSARIGO
THE controversy surrounding
the closure of Container Freight
Stations owned by Mombasa
Governor Hassan Johos family
deepened yesterday, after the taxman
impounded more contraband goods.
The Kenya Revenue Authority
announced it had unearthed a list
of cargo that included imported
sugar and ethanol worth millions
of shillings at the Autoports
CFS, causing confusion over the
support: JAP candidate for Kericho senator Aaron Cheruiyot and DP William Ruto at Manyoror Primary School, Kericho, yesterday.

continued on page 6

2 NEWS

INSIDE TODAY
CONTENTS
world news

20

Opinion

22

Letters

25

Word Is

33

LEISURE

34

Classified

36

Business

38

Sport

42

plight of refugees captured in

art exhibition - Page 28

Whats Trending

@TheStarKenya: NYS scandal key suspect Josephine

Kabura falls ill, skips court

#JosephineKabura
@MutahiNgunyi: The NYS AFFIDAVIT by
Josephine whatever is a LIE. If she met Waiguru
and others, I was NOT there. If in doubt, YOU CAN SIT ON A
PIN!!!
@gathara: What if we treated Josephine Kabura and
Geoffrey Kiplagat as whistleblowers? Would it encourage
more unhappy small fish to come forward?
@OliverMathenge: With more storms coming her way,
Josephine Kabura will soon be regretting ever meeting her
handlers. Even Olivia Pope cant save her.
@kabetes: Now that Josephine Kabura Irungu has admitted
to stealing NYS millions with @AnneWaiguru, why cant the
court jail her next week?
@ItsMJ254: Josephine Kabura is telling the truth cause
shes willing to go to jail for her role in the theft.
@vinny_wa: Josephine Kabura is just doing what Nancy
Baraza did the other day Playing victim even when the know
they messed up.
@_ThePeasant_: Also, Josephine Kabura fell ill and thus
couldnt honour her date with the court. Petty offenders
should stage a protest. Lol
@Alex1Rango: Josephine Kabura looks like a gun for hire.
@samm_sos: So Josephine Kabura is a horn blower and Ann
Waiguru a whistle blower??? Kenya will one day be ruled by
referees.
@Leenyonyi_: What we should be focusing on is whether
Josephine Kabura is single and with an updated passport
Like us on Facebook: The Star Kenya and Follow us
Twitter @thestarkenya

the Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

DP Ruto sorry for

Kericho neglect

Photo/dpps

BY SONU TANU
Deputy President William Ruto yesterday apologised to residents of Kericho county over unfulfilled
promises.
Speaking in his local dialect, Ruto said he is sorry if
they feel neglected by the
government or taken for
a ride by not fulfilling the
pledges he made.
Speaker after speaker accused the government of
neglecting them, yet they
overwhelmingly voted for
Jubilee.
The residents, who did
not hide their feelings, accused Energy CS Charles
Keter of bullying them.
Keter is my neighbour,
I know him. He behaves
like a rogue bull charging
at everybody on his way,
resident Paul Chirchir said,
amid an uproar from the
crowd.
He said it is wrong for
Ruto as a father to favour
one child to the detriment
of others.
I assure you there will
be chaos at home, Chirchir
said.
He urged Ruto to ensure
the health function is returned to the national government, saying they have
suffered a lot.
The district hospital has
no medicine, not even painkillers, Chirchir said.
The resident said they are
running away to Kanu be-

vote hunt: Kericho county senate Jubilee aspirant Aaron Cheruiyot and DP William
Ruto at a campaign rally in Manyoror Primary School yesterday.
cause they feel neglected.
Jubilee candidate in the
March 7 Kericho senate
by-election Aaron Cheruiyot faces a stiff competition
from Kanus Paul Sang.
But when he stood to address the crowd, Ruto first
apologised, saying all the
pledges made by the government to Kericho will be
fulfilled.
He promised a road contractor will be on site in
three days.
If it does not happen
within three days, ask me,

the DP said.
He said the contracts
have already been awarded
and the first phase of the
roads to be tarmacked is in
Kericho.
Ruto said he was not
pledging the goodies because of the by-election, but
fulfilling the promises he
made.
He was with six MPs and
47 MCAs to campaign for
Cheruiyot.
Also present was Kericho
Governor Paul Chepkwony,
MPs Erick Keter, Justice Ke-

mei and Leonard Sang.

The leaders held three
meetings at the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya, Manyoror and Kedowa
markets.
The meetings did very
little to change the county
electorates determination
to elect Sang as a protest
vote against the county
leadership.
Speaker after speaker said
they are fed up with empty
promises from the government since it came to power
in 2013.

Bank fraud unit boss to DCI defends Gichuki

be probed over NYS scam by STAR REPORTER
is chairman Peter Kugurus.
by KAMORE MAINA
Police might open an
investigation into allegations of misconduct against
head of Banking Fraud Unit
Joseph Mugwanja.
By last evening, the
decision to open the
investigation was yet to be
reached, hours after Sh791
NYS scandal chief suspect
Josephine Kabura swore an
affidavit implicating Mugwanja and his officers.
The investigation, popularly known in the police
language as inquiry file,
will look into all allegations of misconduct against
Mugwanja in the Sh791
million National Youth
Service scandal.
Opening of an inquiry file is a normal and
standard practice in the
police service, especially
when there are complaints
against officers.
Such an investigation
can either be conducted by
the Internal Affairs Unit

of the police headed by

Assistant Inspector General
Leo Nyongesa or the CID
complaints section.
The officer to lead the
investigation should either
be Mugwanjas senior or of
the same rank.
Kabura, in whose account the entire Sh791 million was paid, has alleged
Mugwanja received Sh80
million from her after she
was instructed by former
CS Anne Waiguru to give it
to him.
The 33-year-old hairdresser alleged Mugwanja
and his officers were engaged in coverup in their
investigations and they
helped her spend a night in
her house and not Kileleswha police station after
her arrest.
Inspector General of
Police Joseph Boinnet, who
is said to have ordered for
the inquiry, could not be
reached for comment.
The Star was informed
he was in a meeting.

A Directorate of Criminal Investigations report

presented in court yesterday has dismissed claims
the Nairobi Water and
Sewerage Company bosss
contract was forged.
The report authored by
investigating officer Peter
Wanjala says the signature
appearing on the contract,
which was initially faulted,

There were claims the

signature was not Kugurus,
prompting investigations.
The report was prepared
and presented in court in a
case filed by activist Okiya
Omtatah, who said company MD Philip Gichuki
had altered the agreement
to his advantage.
Omtatah said some pages
of the contract were written
by Gichuki.

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the Star

NEWS 3

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Ruto and Sang

are not yet
off the hook
BY STEPHEN LETOO
ICC regional coordinator Maria
Kamara yesterday said Deputy
President William Ruto is not yet
off the hook, despite the ruling
that reversed the use of recanted
statements.
She says the application to
suspend the use of Rule 68 will not
influence the decision to be made
on the no-case-to-answer motion
filed by Ruto and journalist Joshua
Sang.
You cannot link the Fridays
decision on the use of recanted
statements to the no-case-to-answer
motion because of the different
courts handling the two, Kamara
said in Nairobi.
Consequently, she said, the
judges will scrutinise the testimony
of 25 witnesses who did not recant.
The coordinator also re-affirmed
the ICC arrest warrant against
journalist Walter Barasa is still
active.
His application for voluntarily
appearance was rejected.

Sh7.6bn set for

lighting project

NTSA lists on-the-spot

fines to end cop bribes
National Transport and Safety Authority
SECTION OF THE
ACT OR RULE
OF THE TRAFFIC
RULES

PENALTY

Section 42(1)
and 43(1)

Exceeding speed limit

prescribed for class of vehicle:-

By 1 5 kph 500
By 6-10 kph 3000
By 11-15 kph - 6,000
By 16-20 - 10,000

Section 42(3), (4)

and 43(1)

Exceeding speed limit of 50

kph or as prescribed by a traffic
sign

By 1 5 kph 500
By 6-10 kph 3000
By 11-15 kph - 6,000
By 16-20 - 10,000

Section 42(3), (4)

and 43(1)

Exceeding speed limit of 50

kph or as prescribed by a traffic
sign

5,000

Section 30(1)
and (7)

7000
Driving without a valid
driving license endorsement
in respect of the class of
vehicle

Sec 30(4) and 41

Failure to renew a driving

license

1,000

Section 36(1)
and (3).

Failing to carry and produce

a driving license on demand

1,000

Rule 59A(1)

Driver using a mobile phone

while vehicle is in motion

2,000

Rule 12(1)(b)

Learner failing to exhibit L

plates on the front and rear

1,000

Rule 25

Failure of a vehicle to carry

reflective/warning signs
(lifesavers)

2000

10

Sec 22A(3) and

(4)

Failure to wear seat belt

while motor vehicle is in
motion

11

Sec 33(c)and 41

Driving a PSV while being

unqualified

7,000

12

Sec 130C(1) and

(3)

The driver of a PSV driver

who lets an unauthorized
person to drive

5,000

13

Rule 130C(1) and

(3)

Person who while not being

the designated driver of a
PSV drives the vehicle

5,000

14

Sec 103A(1) and

(7)

Failure of a PSV driver or

conductor to wear special
badge and uniform

2,000

BY RITA DAMARY
THE government has set aside
Sh7.6 billion for a lighting project
in 54 towns, the Kenya Power and
Lighting Company director Susan
Chesyna has said.
Yesterday she said electrification
of 38 towns is almost complete.
Chesyna said Kenya Power, in
conjunction with the Rural Electrification Authority, is committed to completing the remaining
projects.
She spoke to the press in Nakuru town.
We want to realise a 24-hour
economy. By 2020 we will have
connected all villages to electricity, Chesyna said.
She said accessing some schools
in Baringo, Samburu and Turkana
has been difficult due to poor
roads. Residents were warned
against vandalising transformers.

NATURE OF OFFENCE

photo/edwin nyarangi

500

The NTSA has published proposed on-thespot fines for minor traffic offenders to ensure
motorists do not pay police bribes.
The offences include driving without identification plates, speeding, driving on a pavement
or on a footpath and driving without a licence.
The move will reduce arrests, towing vehicles to police stations and other avenues used
by traffic police and court officials to solicit
bribes.
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga last year unearthed a corruption cartel pocketing millions
of shillings from traffic offenders.
The scam, he said then, involved police, brokers and unscrupulous court officials targeting
motorists who do not want to be in court.
In the new provisions, however, traffic offenders who plead guilty to minor traffic offences will no longer have to appear.
Instead, they will pay fines using their mobile
phone money transfer platforms and receive a
standard receipt on the spot.
Use of the mobile money option will ensure
convenience and reduce bribes to corrupt traffic and court officers.
As it is, motorists arrested for traffic offences
must appear in court, a process that is tedious,
frustrating and time-consuming. Some motorists opt to pay bribes.
If and when the rules are gazetted, learners
who do not exhibit L plates on the front and
rear will pay Sh1,000.
Failure of a vehicle to display reflective life
savers will attract a Sh2,000 fine.
Obstruction will attract Sh10,000, while failure to stop when ordered by a uniformed police officer will attract a fine of Sh5,000.
Driving without a valid driving licence will
be fined Sh7,000, while failure to renew will
cost Sh1,000.
Failure to wear a seatbelt will be fined Sh500,
and failure by a PSV driver or conductor to
wear badge and uniform will attract a fine of
Sh2,000.
A motorcycle rider carrying more than one
passenger will part with Sh1,000, while a motorcycle passenger riding without protective
gear will pay Sh1,000 on the spot if they
plead guilty.
These measures are expected to end waste of
time and resources by minor traffic offenders,
the police, the court and prosecution.
The full list of the scheduled minor offences
can be found on www.ntsa.go.ke

Raila urges state to release

names of El Adde soldiers
BY EDWIN NYARANGI

fallen hero: Cord leader Raila Odinga at the funeral of Private Elias
Kirionki at Osupuko village, Trans Mara West subcounty, yesterday.

BY ELIUD KIBII

CORD leader Raila Odinga

yesterday asked the government
to issue a comprehensive statement on the El Adde attack in
Somalia on January 15.
He spoke at Osupuko village,
Trans Mara West subcounty,
during the burial of Private
Elias Kirionki who died in the
attack.
Raila said it was high time
the government told Kenyans
exactly what happened.
The former Prime Minister
said Kenyans should be told the
death toll.
He said their names should be
mentioned since they are heroes

who died while defending the

nation.
They deserved to be honoured
and remembered by all Kenyans, Raila said.
We should be told the
names of our gallant sons who
perished in Somalia, those who
were injured and the plan that
the government has to compensate the families, he said.
Raila said the government
should ensure their families continue living like they did when
their breadwinners were alive.
The Cord leader asked the
government to state its exit
strategy in Somalia.
He said Kenyans should
know whether KDF will be in

Somalia for two, five, 10, 20 or

even 100 years.
I was in government when
we decided that our military
should move into Somalia in
order to defend our countrys
border after al Shabaab kept on
attacking us, he said.
But we would like to know
what the governments longterm plan is about us being in
Somalia.
Kajiado Central MP Elijah
Memusi asked the government
to expedite the payment of
gratuity to the families that lost
their sons.
Narok woman representative
Soipan Kudate urged politicians
not to politicise the tragedy.

4 COURTS

Trader in
Sh21m
fraud case
BY Star Reporter
A businessman was yesterday charged before a
Mavoko court with obtaining Sh21 million by false
pretence.
Gulan Abdala appeared
before Mavoko principal
magistrate P Ooko in Athi
River.
He was charged alongside Elegance Agencies.
Abdala was charged
with obtaining credit of
Sh21,968,458 for the supply of assorted steel bars
between January 25 and
March 18 last year at Athi
River steel plant in Machakos county.
The court heard that he
and his accomplices pretended they could supply
steel bars.
Abdala was released on
Sh2 million bond with a
surety of a similar amount.
The case will be heard
March 5.

DPP wants
to release
held Briton
BY Alphonce Mungahu
The Director of Public
Prosecutions has withdrawn
an application seeking
to continue detaining a
businessman wanted in
Germany for alleged tax
evasion.
Rakesh Sharma allegedly
owes Sh200 million tax.
Prosecutor Daniel Karuri
told resident magistrate PM
Mugure that the decision
was made since they have
not received the original
request from Germany.
An affidavit sworn by Interpol indicated that Sharma
is a member of a gang that
evades VAT by giving fake
revenue particulars.
The respondent escaped
to Kenya and his accomplices were arrested, charged
and are serving sentence in
Germany, Joseph Ngari
said in an affidavit.
He works for Interpol
National Central Bureau at
the Directorate of Criminal
Investigations.

the Star

Jirongo says he bought

disputed land from Moi
photo/ FILE

BY SUSAN MUHINDI
FORMER Lugari MP Cyrus
Jirongo claims there is evidence to confirm he paid Sh7
million to the son of retired
President Moi for the purchase of a disputed piece of
land in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Jirongo, who was set to
plead to charges of obtaining execution of security by
false pretence today, obtained
orders before the High Court
postponing the plea taking.
He is accused of giving false
information to the police and
forging a document.
Jirongo said the claim,
which forms the basis of the
charges, arose out of a commercial transaction that was
concluded 25 years ago.
Jirongo is charged that on
March 27 last year at Directorate of Criminal Investigation headquarters in Nairobi,
he informed Sergeant Maxwell Otieno that he paid Sh7
Million to Jonathan Moi as
an alleged balance for the
purchase of Soy Developers.
The charge sheet says Jirongo gave out the information
knowing that it was false, intending that the officer arrest
Moi as an accomplice in the
alleged fraudulent purchase
of Soy Developers.
But in his new application
at the High Court, the former
MP says as part of the purchase price, he paid Sh7 million to Jonathan Moi.
He said this was acknowledged by several witnesses,
including Sammy Boit Arap

I paid for it: Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo on June 4, 2014.

Kogo on May 5, 1992.
The other witnesses are
Gerald
Bomet,
Samson
Nyamweya and Solomon
Cheruiyot.
Jirongo says prior to the
acknowledgement of payment, Boit claimed he and his
wife are proxies of Jonathan.
Each witness has issued
written statements to the CID
confirming the payment of
Sh7 million to Jonathan Moi
through his personal assistant
Samuel Cheruiyot, he says.
Jirongo now says the conduct of his intended prosecution is oppressive and a gross
abuse of the court process.

It is clear from the evidence that the matter is being

used to settle scores and vilify
me, he says.
Jirongo wants the court to
suspend his criminal trial at
the lower courts.
He says the decision to
prosecute him is unreasonable, irrational and an afterthought by Boit and his wife
Antoinnette Boit, who have
waited 25 years to raise the
complaint giving rise to the
charges against him.
According to the court
documents, Jirongo was approached by Boit in 1991 offering to sell him the parcel.

It was initially registered

in the name of Soy Developers, with Boit and his wife the
shareholders and directors.
The former MP claims he
paid all the money for the
purchase but on January 14,
1993, he was surprised to
receive a notice from Boits
advocates purporting that he
had not paid Sh10 million.
This was strange because we had completed all
payments in respect of the
transaction as agreed by that
time, he says.
Justice George Odunga directed the case be mentioned
on February 29.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Woman
seeks child
support
By Carole Maina
A woman is suing a senior
employee of the University
of Nairobi for the maintenance of a child he allegedly
sired with her two years
ago.
The woman is accusing
Jake Muchiri, an assistant
registrar, of neglecting his
child.
She claims she cohabited
with Muchiri for three and
a half years between 2012
and 2015 and they had a
son together.
But Muchiri has denied
the allegations, saying he
is a widower with a family
that he sustains.
The paternity of the
minor and allegations of cohabiting with her is alien to
me, he states in an affidavit.
In a suit filed at a Nairobi
court last December, the 31year-old unemployed mother said Muchiri dumped her
after she gave birth.
The mother says Muchiri
took care of their son until
last April. She said her son
will face extreme hardship
if the court does not compel
Muchiri to support him.
Our child is suffering
for lack of sufficient basic
needs, the woman says.
She says when they lived
together, she came to know
his family, including his
other children.
The mother wants
Sh43,000 monthly upkeep.
On February 2, the childrens court ordered Muchiri to go for a DNA test.
Muchiri wants the suit
dismissed.

Final reschedule of white widow case Cop denies losing gun

BY Mkamburi Mwawasi
A Mombasa chief magistrate
yesterday adjourned for the
last time a case in which
British fugitive Samantha
Lewthwaite is being pursued
by police.
Chief magistrate Julius
Nangea said there is no need
to keep mentioning the matter because the suspect has
never appeared in court.
This is a waste of the
courts time since the accused

photo/PHILIP KAMAKYA

person has never been arrested, he said.

Prosecutor Lydia Kagori
asked the court to grant her
more time to give the status
of the case.
I plead for a month to get
proper information since the
matter has international connection, she said.
The magistrate gave the
prosecution the last adjournment.
In June last year, the court
was told the government is

still pursuing terror suspects

Lewthwaite and Habib Saleh.
The prosecution told
Nangea that international arrest warrants had been issued
for the two, who have never
appeared in court.
The matter has been pending at the Mombasa law
courts since 2011, with warrants being extended.
Lewthwaite and Saleh were
charged jointly in absence of
unlawful possession of explosives in Mombasa in 2011.

AN officer from the

Kabete police station
was arraigned yesterday
before a Kibera court for
losing his AK47.
The court heard that
Cleophas Otundo lost his
gun between February
15 and 16 at unknown
place.
He denied the charge
before senior resident
magistrate Shadrack

Mwinzi.
Police said Otundo
was given a firearm but
he reported to his seniors
that his gun was stolen
in unclear circumstances,
which he could not
explain.
Otundo was released
on Sh100,000 bond
with a surety of a similar
amount or on Sh30,000
bail.
The case will be heard
on May 17.

MP stopped from entering Laikipia 20 acres

BY Peter Ngetich

LAND ROW: Laikipia East MP Anthony Kimaru Mutahi

at the High Court in Milimani yesterday.

BY Annette Wambulwa

LAIKIPIA East MP Anthony Mutahi has

been stopped from interfering with 20
acres in Nanyuki.
The MP is in a tussle over the land
with a white settler.
The land is on the Nanyuki-Doldol
road, opposite the British Army Training
camp.
The property has a house, 10 stables
for horses, three staff quarters, a garage,
a store, a water tank and 15 horses.
High Court judge Joseph Onguto di-

rected Inspector General of Police Joseph

Boinett to provide security for Stuart
Cunningham until the case is determined.
The MP said he bought the land in
2009.
I am the genuine owner. If indeed he
[Cunningham] is the owner of the land,
let him produce ownership documents,
Mutahi said.
In the suit filed by lawyer Margaret
Shava, she said Cunninghams property
was invaded on October 3 last year by
an armed gang of 50.
Shava said on October 7, the High

Court in Nyeri barred Mutahi from

interfering with the land, but they have
been ignored by the Nanyuki police boss.
Cunningham, his family and representatives are being physically threatened by hooligans and unless they are
provided with adequate security, they
are apprehensive about their lives and
property, Shava said.
Cunningham says he has suffered
damage worth millions of shillings.
He said he has lived on the land for
21 years.
The case will be heard tomorrow.

the Star

news 5

Thursday, February 18, 2016

NYS staff
demand
Sh60m
pay arrears
BY ALVIN ANDANJE
More controversy has
dogged the National Youth
Service, as complaints
emerge about Sh60 million
salary arrears owed to technicians since 2014.
The NYS has been
marred by a Sh791 million
scandal, which led to the
sacking of director general
Nelson Githinji last year.
Dam construction unit
technicians yesterday said
they are yet to receive
payment for work done
between December 2014
and April last year.
The groups representatives, who declined to be
named to protect their jobs,
said attempts to reach out
to the management over the
pay have been met with job
threats and peoples names
being removed from the
payroll.
We have written letters
to NYS officials for one
year over the issue, but all
of them tell us to wait. On
other occasions, members
who insist about the money
are removed from the payroll, a representative said.
The workers said others
are transferred to far-flung
areas to silence them.
This comes a few weeks
after the new director
general, Richard Ndubai,
sacked nine senior officers.
The group has written
to Public Service CS Sicily
Kariuki to seek an audience
over the matter.
The letter says Dominic
Oduor, Kennedy Agama,
Dennis Mutua, Edward
Losike, Dennis Maneno,
Abdikadir Dika, Simon
Kinyanjui and Onesmus
Kibunja are among those
whose names have been
removed from the payroll.

Schools got cash

for laptop stores

Photo/Monicah Mwangi

POLITICal
gossip

powerful and
previously moneyed
TV reporter is in tears.
Reason? Her exboyfriend a Cabinet
minister in the grand coalition
government has withdrawn
all the high-end cars he had
given her. Part of the reason
for the acrimonious fallout is
the lass is allegedly pregnant
by another man. Sources tell
Corridors the woman, who
previously drove top-of-therange cars, including a Range
Rover, is now back behind
the wheel of her average car.
Its not clear whether she will
be moved out of her posh
residence in Nairobi.

HHH
eyes on the future: City Primary School pupils work on laptops during the launch of the nomadic
education programme at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development on May 9 last year.
BY HENRY WANYAMA
ALL public primary schools
were given Sh1.32 billion to put
up storage facilities for laptops
set to be delivered by June.
Education Cabinet Secretary
Fred Matiangi said all schools
have been given the cash to
build secure rooms for the sake
of security.
Given a total of 22,000 public primary schools, this means
each school received Sh60,000.
Schools have been given the
cash to build storage rooms.
That is why we are following
them to find out if the money
has been spent well, Matiangi
said.
He spoke on Monday in
a joint update on the laptop
project.

Moi University/JP Couto and

Jomo Kenyatta University of
Agriculture and Technology/
Positivo BGH are going to supply the devices in the pilot phase
from next Monday to 150 primary schools.
The ministries steering the
project are ICT, Education, Energy and Industrialisation.
The pilot, also known as the
Proof of Concept phase, seeks
to allow successful bidders to
prove their capacity to implement the full project in all the
22,000 schools.
ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe
Mucheru said the safekeeping
of the devices and their accessories is important.
While we expect that communities and schools will protect this valuable resource, we

are also engaging the Ministry

of Interior and Coordination of
National Government to extend
security to schools when need
arises, he said.
Questions have been raised on
the security of the laptops in relation to storage facilities, with
some schools afraid to store
large numbers of the devices.
Successful completion of the
POC will be followed by the
companies forwarding a bill to
government and proceeding to
sign the contract to fully implement delivery to all schools.
The first batch of 600,000 devices will be delivered to 11,000
schools starting in June in the
first phase.
The second phase will deliver another 600,000 to 11,000
schools by June next year.

Owners of stray Hawker denies Leukemia highest

donkeys face fines girlfriend murder among KNH kids
by CHETI PRAXIDES

by ALPHONCE MUNGAHU

by ELIZABETH WERE

Donkey owners whose animals are

found loitering aimlessly and littering
Lamu town streets will be prosecuted.
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy yesterday
said the number of donkeys left to wander
around on their own is on the increase.
Speaking at Ras Kitau in Manda when
he launched a survey, Timamy said his
office is working on the final bits of a law
that will ensure the owners of the donkeys
are arrested and punished.
This is an effort to maintain and
preserve the uniqueness of Lamus Old
Town as a world heritage site, he said.
Timamy said loitering donkeys have
been littering the town and its environs
with their waste.
He said donkeys found wandering
around town will be confiscated and kept
in a holding centre, which is still under
construction, until the owners raise the
fines.

A man was charged yesterday with

murdering his girlfriend, who was a form
three student at St Teresas Girls Secondary School in Eastleigh.
Job Onchari, a hawker at Umoja II market in Nairobi, denied the charge before
Justice Stella Mutuku.
He allegedly killed Nancy Wanza in
Umoja estate on the night of December 30
last year and attempted to dispose of her
body at Kiambu District Hospital before
running away.
Onchari was arrested last week and
taken to a Makadara court, where police
were given more time to detain him.
He told judge Mutuku that when he
was being interrogated at Buru Buru
police station, two officers, William
Kamau and a Mr Ngeno, took away his
Sh47,000 in cash.
The judge summoned the investigating
officer to shed light on the allegations.

BLOOD cancer is the highest type of

cancer among children admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital, a medic has said.
KNH nematologist Walter Mwanda
said 61 per cent of children undergoing
cancer treatment at the referral facility
suffer from acute leukemia.
This trend is different in other parts
of the country, such as Nyanza, Western,
Rift Valley and the Coast, Mwanda
said.
He was speaking during the marking
of the International Childhood Cancer
Day at KNH on Monday.
Mwanda said some challenges identified during cancer advocacy in Africa
were competing public health priorities,
financial barriers, low awareness, societal
norms and cultural beliefs.
He said cancer registries should provide accurate and complete cancer data
for advocacy.

A senior Jubilee official in

the Office of the President
has confessed that all is not
well for the coalition. This
follows Jubilees Nyangores
ward loss to Bomet Governor
Isaac Rutto. Another tight
race is expected in the
March 7 Kericho Senate byelection. According to the
official, unless things change
drastically, Jubilee is all set to
lose big in 2017 and the Big
Man has been told.

HHH
Some MPs with no postform four qualifications are
a worried lot. Recently, they
were heard planning to lobby
their colleagues to shoot
down changes to the law that
will make it mandatory for all
aspirants to hold a degree. The
proposed law has been drafted
by the electoral commission.
Their more educated
colleagues argue the form
four leavers debate is below
par and they are in Bunge to
make deals and protect their
businesses.

HHH
Some URP legislators were
heard whispering why former
Devolution Cabinet Secretary
Anne Waiguru is seemingly
getting preferential
treatment, including from
the EACC. This was after the
commission said she did not
play any role in the Sh791
million NYS storm, despite
being at the heart of it. The
MPs wondered why some
investigations pend for years
and are used to fight them
politically at the grassroots,
while others are dealt with in
record time.

Call us with your news, tips and photos

Corridor Hotlines 0711046472/144/148
E-mail: Tips@nairobistar.co.ke

6 news

the Star

TNA MPs now oppose

plan to merge with URP

photo/ enos teche

Thursday, February 18, 2016

More
illegal
sugar
seized at
Joho firm
from page 1

contender: Kericho JAP senatorial candidate Aaron Cheruyot and Jubilee chairman Johnson Sakaja after receiving a confirmation certificate
at JAP headquarters, Nairobi, on January 22.

BY DAVID MWERE
TNA legislators have rubbished
the merger plans of the ruling
Jubilee parties and instead want
the alliances constituents to
go it alone at the 2017 general
election.
An MP who is privy to secret
merger meetings, but who did
not want to go on record, said
President Uhuru Kenyattas TNA
and Deputy President William
Rutos URP will not merge but
work together ahead of the
Tuesday, August 8, 2017, polls.
The thinking among TNA
MPs is that we go to elections as
individual parties as opposed to a
merger. This is the stand we have
taken and we will be briefing our
coalition bosses when we meet
them, the MP said yesterday.
Although the decision has not
been made public, it could mean
that the planned merger into the

Jubilee Party of Kenya on whose

ticket Uhuru and Ruto want to
defend the Presidency in 2017,
will not take place, amid talk of
deep mistrust in the coalition.
However, the merger rejection
has been dismissed by TNA
chairman Johnson Sakaja and his
URP counterpart Barre Shill as
self-seeking.
The two said that county
meetings to plan the merger plans
were on course as they wait for
crucial changes to the Political
Parties Act to be finalised.
This is the route we have
committed ourselves to, because
we expect the parties to finalise
their
National
Delegates
conventions by March, before we
move ahead. The reason for unity
is much stronger for us, Sakaja,
a nominated MP, said.
He added, Those opposed are
getting restless because of the
fear of losing out in nominations

because, then, the competition

will be intense.
Shill, the Fafi MP, said the
political landscape in Kenya is
individually based.
When Uhuru, just like Raila,
Kalonzo and Ruto, tell their people
to follow a certain direction, they
have no reason not to. Do not
take these MPs seriously because
over 70 per cent of them will lose
their seats, Shill said.
The
technical
committee
working on the merger plans and
headed by Meru Senator Kiraitu
Murungi and former MP Noah
Wekesa has scheduled the fusion
for next month.
The loss by the Jubilee alliance
in the Nyangores Ward byelection in Bomet county to the
little-known PPPK is the latest
implosion of poor organisation in
the coalition.
On Tuesday evening, a group
of TNA MPs held an informal

meeting at Parliament Buildings

to catch up on political events,
including the forthcoming byelections for Kericho senator and
Malindi MP.
An MP who attended the
meeting was categorical the
parties are determined to go it
alone.
We do not want a Cord affair
when nomination certificates
are handed over to the losers as
happened in Kericho. We may
as well have lost that seat, not
forgetting the Malindi one, the
MP said.
Little-known Aaron Cheruiyot
beat former Cabinet minister
Franklin Bett in nominations for
the Kericho Senate seat to bag the
Jubilee ticket.
The MP observed forces in
the Rift Valley were regrouping
against the Deputy President and
worse could come if the merger
were to happen.

Tunoi offered to retire if committee cleared him

from page 1
investigate him. The offer to
resign and other developments
were confirmed to the Star by a
senior lawyer, a judge and a JSC
source.
Tunoi did not respond
yesterday to two calls and a
message seeking comment.
The committee, chaired by
PSC chairperson Margret Kobia,
found reason to believe Tunoi
received Sh200 million from
journalist Geoffrey Kiplagat to
rule in favour of the election of
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.
It had been challenged by losing
candidate Ferdinand Waititu.

Tunoi and Kidero deny the

allegation.
Rejection of his resignation
offer angered the judge, sources
tell the Star.
There is no resigning ... Tunoi
is going all the way to clear his
name. He wants to prove to the
world these allegations have no
basis, one source told the Star
yesterday.
Tunoi will demand an open
tribunal to demonstrate he has
nothing to hide. He aims to
give the public access and allow
as many people as possible to
participate, the source said.
Three lawyers Fred Ngatia,
Kioko Kilikumi and Pheroze

Nowrojee head the defence

team.
Tunoi has lined up sympathetic
witnesses.
President Uhuru is required to
establish the tribunal within 14
days of receiving the JSC request
dated February 9, however, State
House says crucial documents
are missing. That means a delay.
Yesterday the JSC denied any
documents are missing.
JSC has neither received any
communication from the head of
state on the matter, nor a request
for additional information,
said a press statement by Dr
Naim Bilal, director of public
affairs and communication at the

Judiciary.
It says on February 9 the
JSC sent the head of state a
transmittal letter, the petition
and report of the findings of the
commission on allegations of
bribery against Tunoi.
The JSC fully satisfied
provisions of Article 168(4) of
the constitution on content and
procedure of such a petition to
the President, it says, adding this
was not the first such petition.
The situation became murkier
after Attorney General Githu
Muigai described both Justices
Tunoi and Kalpana Rawal as
retired judges, during a public
event in his office.

consignment. But in a quick

rejoinder, Autoports Operations
manager Salim Juma said since
KRA closed the CFS, no other
containers have been brought to
the facility.
Its a similar consignment that
remained after the first raid. The
consignee and shipper are the
same. They have the manifest and
they know that. We havent had
any containers getting into the
CFS. All we have been doing is
clearing them as owners come to
pick up what had been detained,
Salim told the Star.
The official regretted the KRA
wants to make it appear like it is
a new consignment, adding that
the consignment has been lying at
the CFS since November.
We dont want to interfere
with the whole process in any
way. So we have kept off and
are not at the facility as the
operation is ongoing, added
Salim.
This came only a few hours
after Autoports and its sister
company Portside sued the KRA
and Kenya Ports Authority for
interfering with their activities.
The companies have filed
contempt of court proceedings
against the two parastatals,
and want their top managers
committed to civil jail for
breaching a court order issued of
January 25, barring them from
interference.
Yesterday, KRA regional
commissioner Nicholas Kinoti
said ongoing investigations
at the CFS closed last month
unearthed 20 containers loaded
with the sugar consignment and
mis-declared as a floor sanding
machine and related hardware
tools that have an estimated tax
value of Sh36million.
The verification, he said, had
also stumbled upon a single
40-foot container suspected to
contain 135 drums of a liquid
product suspected to be ethanol
of an estimated tax value of Sh11
million.
Kinoti said, All containers
under Autoports and Portside are
being subjected to verification
before being released.
He added that the
multiagency verification exercise
confirmed the contraband sugar
was imported from Brazil and
would be subjected to further
assessments.
Once formally confirmed to
be holding contraband items, the
consignments will be forfeited
to the state for destruction. Such
destruction should serve as a stern
warning to unscrupulous traders
engaging in the contraband
commodities trade, he said.
He added they are also in
pursuit of the listed importers.

the Star

NEWS 7

Thursday, February 18, 2016

photo/Joseph Ndunda

photo/PSCU

Train cops on
human rights,
urges Ipoa
BY JOSEPH NDUNDA

HEADED FOR WAR: Cord leaders heading to the IEBC offices on Tuesday.

Bitter spat as
Cord storms
IEBC offices

BY FELIX OLICK

inga intervened, Taita Taveta

woman representative Joyce
Lay told Sharawe he has two
options: change his attitude
or change his job.
It was a clear demonstration of the bad blood that
exists, a source said.
Cord alleges the BVR kits
are strategically designed to
favour Jubilee strongholds.
However, IEBC says it
used geographical sizes to
determine the number of kits
allocated per ward.
You do not register geography, you register human
beings, Homa Bay Senator
Moses Kajwang said.
IEBC has used a very lazy
approach to the distribution
of BVR kits.
IEBC statistics show Bomet county was allocated 100

BVR kits against a potential

new voting population of
7,295.
However, Vihiga with
a voting population of
211,2989 was allocated 52
kits.
Mombasa with a potential
voting population of 298,191
was allocated only 62 kits,
while Kilifi, with a voting
population of 312,507, got
142 kits.
However, Merus 290, 053
population was allocated
176 BVR kits while Nakurus 282,674 population got
202 kits.
Muranga (151,616) was
allocated 136 kits and Garissa (53,331) was allocated
164 kits. Wajir (37,770) got
170 kits and Narok (78,239)
received 140 kits.

Man denies
sugar import

MCA out on
Sh1m bond

Fire at Moi
Mixed school

MOMBASA A man was

charged yesterday with illegally importing sugar.
Amos Kibagendi denied
importing Sh14 million
sugar in eight containers
last October 12 through
Kilindini port.
The sugar was concealed
as lubricants and plastic
bags.
It was not established
where the sugar was imported from.
Kibagendi is facing similar charges in another case.
Mombasa senior principal magistrate Richard
Odenyo released him on
Sh3 million bond and set
the hearing for April 6.

Naivasha Maella MCA

Kariuki Mujinga has been
released on Sh1 million
bond.
He is among 24 others accused of arson, destruction
of property and incitement.
Mujinga has been in
remand for a week.
The accused are linked to
the violence regarding the
control of Ngati Farmers
Co-operative Society.
Houses and farms belonging to directors of the land
buying company have been
burnt.
Naivasha chief magistrate
Peter Gesora told the accused to report to the CID
every Friday.

Baringo More than 100

students of Moi Mixed
High School, Kabartonjo,
spent the night in the
cold after their dormitory
caught fire yesterday.
The dormitory and property worth thousands of
shillings were destroyed.
Principal Solomon
Chemjor said there were no
serious casualties.
The fire caused fear
among students, especially
form one students, who
enrolled two weeks ago.
Some girl students said
they fled through the fence
and hid, because they did
not know what the boys
would do next.

CORD Management Committee co-chairman James

Orengo on Tuesday exchanged bitter words with
IEBC bosses in the presence
of opposition chiefs.
Interviews from multiple
sources say trouble began
when Orengo told IEBC
commissioner
Abdullahi
Sharawe to change his attitude as they argued over alleged skewed distribution of
BVR kits.
Sharawe reportedly shot
back, saying he cannot
change his attitude at his
age.
The response infuriated the
Cord brigade that stormed
IEBC offices on Tuesday.
As Cord leader Raila Od-

in BRIEF

THE Independent Policing

Oversight Authority yesterday criticised the National
Police Service Commission
for failing to educate its
members on respecting human rights.
Ipoa chairman Macharia
Njeru said NPSC should
learn from the ruling by
Justice Martin Muya on
Kwekwe Mwandazas
murder.
Former Kinango CID
boss Veronica Gitahi and
constable Issa Mzee will
each serve seven years for
manslaughter.
While Ipoa appreciates
the role of the police in
prevention of crime, the
authority will continue to
play its role of holding the
police accountable for its
actions, Njeru said in a
statement.
The Ipoa investigations
into Kwekwes murder
found police were not justified to use firearms.
The 14-year-old girl
was shot while police
conducted a raid at their
home in Kinango, Kwale
county, while looking for
her uncle.

KEEP IT UP: President Uhuru Kenyatta presents a trophy

to Mary Pendo, one of the most outstanding constables,
at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College, on Tuesday.

Special sections for

terrorism offenders
BY ADOW MOHAMED
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday said the
government will establish a
new prison to hold violent,
extremist offenders.
However, Interior ministry spokesperson Njoka
Mwenda said there will
be subsections for terror
suspects in larger prisons.
This, he said, was necessitated after evidence showed
prisons are schools for
violent extremism.
Mwenda said suspects
spread their ideologies to

fellow inmates. Solitary

confinement has become
necessary, he said.
But security analyst
Andrew Franklin says the
move may be counterproductive.
Confining terror suspects has only served to
alienate and harden them,
he says.
Franklin says the move
may open floodgates for
human rights abuses as
happened in Guantanamo
in Cuba.
It will lead to indefinite
torture, he says.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KITUI

COUNTY MINISTRY OF FINANCE
AND ECONOMIC PLANNING
COUNTY FISCAL STRATEGY PAPER (CFSP) 2016/17 FY
In accordance with the provisions of PFM Act 2012 Section 117
(5); The County Government of Kitui invites members of the
public, interested persons and groups to submit their written
proposals for consideration in the finalization of the CFSP
2016/17 FY. A draft of the CFSP is on the county website
www.kitui.go.ke
For your valued participation in preparation of CFSP 2016/17
send your written memoranda to the undersigned or through
email
addresses:
fidhelis.mwaniki@kitui.go.ke/
finance@kitui.go.ke and/or submit through your respective
group representative of the County Budget and Economic
Forum (CBEF).
This submission should be forwarded on or before Monday,
22nd February 2016.

CECM Finance & Economic Planning

COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KITUI

8 news

Research, Care and Training Programme

Family AIDS Care & Education Services (RCTP-FACES)
RCTP-FACES NGO SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
FOLLOWING MISLEADING MEDIA ALLEGATIONS

the Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Khalwale voted
out of Senate
accounts team

photo/ hezron njoroge

Attention of Research Care and Training Programme-Family

AIDS Care and Education Services (RCTP-FACES) has been
drawn to misleading media reports published in The Standard
and Daily Nation newspapers linking the NGO to alleged
misappropriation of funds in KEMRI.
The Board of Directors of RCTP-FACES would like to set the
record straight as follows:
1. RCTP-FACES was established in 2007 to support Reproductive health, HIV and TB related Research, Prevention,
Treatment and Capacity building. It is duly registered as an
NGO under Kenyan Law.
2. Since inception , amongst other projects, the NGO has
been a lifeline to thousands of Kenyans especially in
Western Kenya and has supported the enrolment of
160,000 and active treatment of 80,000 people for HIV
through 148 government and private health facilities in 4
counties (Migori, Homabay, Kisumu and Nairobi) through
donor funding.
3. The NGO relies on donor funding from various sources
and collaborates with local and international organizations; as well as National and county governments to
achieve its goals.
4. Contrary to media reports, the NGO does not compete for
funding with KEMRI. Instead, the programmes undertaken
by the NGO are complementary to KEMRIs mandate, and a
number of them are undertaken in support of KEMRI.
5. The NGO has robust financial guidelines and controls and
all funding is governed by specific donor financial and
co-operative agreements and rules. The audited reports
are available for scrutiny.
6. Contrary to media reports, no funds have been diverted
from KEMRI to the NGO since its inception. No Government or donor funds have been lost, misappropriated or
diverted.
7. There is no conflict of interest between staff of KEMRI and
the NGO. The staff of KEMRI who founded the NGO
resigned many years ago and a vibrant Board of Directors
is in charge of the NGO.
8. The Board and Management of RCTP FACES are committed to continue serving Kenyans by offering Reproductive
health, HIV and TB-related clinical care and services based
on quality, integrity and accountability.

For further enquiries please contact:

Board Chairperson: Prof. Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha
dngacha@gmail.com or the NGO Offices on:
Email: info@rctp.or.ke
www.faces-kenya.org

party hopper? Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale and opposition MPs protest at Parliament Buildings during the Security bill debate on December 18, 2014.
By GIDEON KETER
AND JAMES MBAKA
KAKAMEGA Senator Bonny Khalwale was yesterday
kicked out as chairman of
the Senate Public Accounts
Committee.
Nyamira
Senator
Kennedy Mongare defeated Khalwale by six votes to
three in a secret ballot held
at Parliament Buildings.
Mongare, who is a Ford
Kenya senator, is said to
enjoy cordial relationship
across the political divide in
the 11-member opposition
watchdog committee.
Senators present during
the voting were Khalwale,
Martha Wangari (nomi-

nated), Kimani Wamatangi

(Kiambu), Muriuki Karue
(Nyandarua) and Stephen
ole Ntutu (Narok).
Others were Hassan
Omar (Mombasa), George
Khaniri (Vihiga) and John
Lonyangapuo
of West
Pokot.
Kisumu Senator Anyang
Nyongo left moments before the voting started, while
Amos Wako was absent.
Khalwale, who was elected on a UDF ticket, but
crossed over to join hands
with the opposition Cord.
He has criticised the Jubilee administration and
governors for looting public
funds in the wake of audit
queries raised by the Audi-

tor General.
The Star has established
that Senators allied to Jubilee resolved to vote for
Mongare during a strategy
meeting on Tuesday at a
Nairobi hotel.
Speaking
yesterday,
Khalwale conceded defeat
and promised to support
Mongare.
The defeat should not
invoke bitterness among
us. This is not an individual
show, he said.
We have been working together as a team and
I promise we shall do the
same.
Mongare promised to fill
Khalwales shoes adequately.

Treasury wants
less cash sent
to the counties

Senate committee
wants councillors
paid Sh1.5 million

By GIDEON KETER

By GIDEON KETER

TREASURY CS Henry Rotich yesterday

differed with the Commission on Revenue
Allocation chairman Micah Cheserem on
the money that should be sent to counties.
Rotich had appeared before the Senate
Finance Committee at County Hall,
Nairobi.
He said Treasury has proposed Sh302
billion as county allocation in the
next budget, while Cheserem told the
committee that CRA wants the amount
increased to Sh331.7 billion.
Rotich said the country collects Sh1.3
trillion and is now servicing a debt of
Sh433 billion.
However, Rotich assured the committee
chaired by Mandera Senator Billow
Kerrow that the countrys debt is
sustainable.
The ratio of government debt to
revenue is still sustainable based on
international benchmarks but we need to
be watchful, he said.

THE Senate Labour Committee has

recommended that former councillors be
paid Sh1.5 million in one payoff and a
Sh30,000 monthly stipend.
A report tabled by chairman Stewart
Madzayo on Tuesday indicated more than
12,000 former councillors deserve to be
paid, as they have suffered for long.
A one-off honorarium of Sh1.5 million
should be paid to former councillors.
This is based on the fact that they did not
receive fixed emoluments and experienced
disparities in accessibility and terms and
conditions of pension schemes over the
years, the committee said.
It said it is difficult to determine each
councillors benefits.
The committee, however, denied the
councillors a state-sponsored health
insurance.
It indicated there is no universal health
scheme that did not require individual
contributions.

the Star

Nairobi nEWS 9

Thursday, February 18, 2016

photo/julius otieno

Bid to raise
more cash at
Country Bus

photo/ibrahim oruko

BY chrispinus wekesa

lets walk together: Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and Mugumoine MCA Alex
Otieno after a meeting at the Hotel Intercontinental yesterday.

Help me recover
Sh158bn rates
arrears Kidero
BY julius otieno
NAIROBI Governor Evans
Kidero yesterday asked
MCAs to support his efforts to recover Sh158 billion land rates arrears owed
by private and government
institutions.
He urged the 127 MCAs
to back him in fighting cartels and corruption at City
Hall.
Kidero said graft has
slowed services.
Addressing the MCAs at
the Hotel Intercontinental,
he said national government institutions and parastatals are the leading defaulters.

As a county government, we need to deliver

services to our people, but
we cannot do this if we do
not recover this debt, Kidero said.
He cited the Kenya Revenue Authority, the National
Treasury, Law Court, Attorney Generals chambers,
ICT Board, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and KICC
as some of the institutions
that will be clamped over
huge land rates arrears.
We have put the institutions on notice, to either
pay up or we clamp their
respective premises, Kidero said.
Speaker Alex ole Magelo
said the MCAs will support

the governors course for

the sake of city residents.
We will ensure the necessary legislation are in place.
We will not allow government agencies such as KRA
to freeze City Hall accounts
yet some of them dont pay
land rates. We will come up
with legislation to clamp
down on them, he said.
Deputy minority leader
and Kahawa West MCA
Ngaruiya Chege said: The
only premises we will not
clamp are the State House
and City Hall.
Kidero said his development agenda has been
frustrated by cartels at City
Hall and urged the MCAs
to help him remove them.

Reps want 47-storey Police kill suspect in

building suspended Embakasi, find pistol
BY chrispinus wekesa

BY joseph ndunda

Ward representatives in Nairobi have

urged the county government to stop the
construction of a 47-storey building on
Chiromo Lane in Westlands.
Seeking a statement from the Planning
Committee on how the building plans
were approved, Kileleshwa MCA Elias
Otieno said the county should halt the
construction and explain why it was hurriedly approved.
The county executive hurriedly gave
approval to Avic International Real
Estate Kenya Ltd to put up Kenyas tallest
building on Chiromo Lane in Westlands
without following due process of the law
and public interest thresholds. Adjacent to
it is a 35-storey hotel also under construction, he said.
Otieno, the majority leader, said the
building is a security threat.

POLICE gunned down a suspected

gangster in Embakasi, Nairobi, on Tuesday night and recovered a pistol with
several bullets.
Police commander Japheth Koome
said the suspect was in a gang of five
that was terrorising residents when
police were called in.
The suspects allegedly opened fire on
them.
The criminals shot at our officers
who fired back and fatally injured the
armed suspect, who succumbed to gun
wounds, Koome told the Star on the
phone.
He said four accomplices melted into
crowds and escaped.
In a separate incident, a businessman
was shot dead in Majengo yesterday
morning while driving with a friend.

The Nairobi government

yesterday said it intends to
instal an automated parking
system at the Country Bus
Station.
In a media release, county
secretary Robert Ayitsi
said this will do away with
manual collections.
He said due to lack of
maintenance and stationery, the automated system
is prone to breakdowns
hence the use of the manual
system.
Ayitsi said manual collection is open to abuse, which
leads to low revenues.
In having an efficient,
stable and reliable system,
the Nairobi City County
invites eligible individuals
and/or companies to express
their interest in providing
an Off Street Revenue Collection Solution in Sunken
and Law Court parkings
and at the Country Bus Station, reads the statement.
Ayitsi said this will enable
the county to collect optimum revenue at Country
Bus Station on Ladhies
Road, Sunken and Law
Court off street parking,
both on Taifa road.

creating opportunities: US Ambassador Robert Godec

and Public Service Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki cut
the ribbon to open the centre in Lavington yesterday.

Godec opens centre for

women entrepreneurs
BY ibrahim oruko
A centre to mentor and
empower women entreprenuers has been opened
in Nairobi.
The centre, the first of
its kind in the country, was
unveiled by Public Service
Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki and US Ambassador
Robert Godec in Lavington
yesterday.
The Wecreate Kenya
Women Entrepreneurship
Centre is a project of the
United States Department
of State and the Caterpillar

Foundation.
US President Barack
Obama made the promise
during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in
Nairobi last July.
The centre should
collaborate with public
institutions in enhancing
the skills of businesswomen
and expanding their businesses beyond the borders,
Kariuki said.
Godec said women are
a powerhouse in entrepreneurship if given an
opportunity and the centre
will help many.

OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR - GENERAL

Promoting Accountability in the Public Sector

TENDER NOTICE
The Office of the Auditor-General invites sealed tenders for the following subcontract works for the
PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF REGIONAL OFFICES FOR THE OFFICE OF THE
AUDITOR-GENERAL, GARISSA.

TENDER NUMBER

TENDER NAME

SUPPLY, DELIVERY, INSTALLATION,

W.P ITEM NO. D2111/
TESTING AND COMMISSIONING OF
NE/GRS 1401
SANITARY FITTINGS, INTERNAL
JOB NO9997A
PLUMBING, DRAINAGE AND FIRE
FIGHTING EQUIPMENT (Subcontract)

BID BOND
(KSH)

CLOSING
DATE

60, 000.00

11.00 AM
4TH MARCH, 2016

1.1 Interested eligible candidates may obtain further information and inspect tender documents at the
Procurement Office, Office of the Auditor-General, P.O. Box 30084-00100, NAIROBI located on
8th floor, Anniversary Towers along University Way, on weekdays, during normal working hours
(8.00AM- 1.00PM and 2.00PM - 5.00PM local time).
1.2 A complete set of tender documents may be downloaded by interested candidates for free from
the Office of The Auditor-Generals website: www.kenao.go.ke or www.supplier.treasury.go.ke
1.3 Prices quoted should be inclusive of all taxes, must be in Kenya shillings and shall remain valid for
120 days from the closing date of tender.
1.4 Completed tender documents are to be enclosed in plain sealed envelopes, marked with the
specific tender name and reference number and deposited in the Tender Box located at Office of The
Auditor-General Headquarters, Anniversary Towers, 8th floor or to be addressed to The AuditorGeneral, P.O. Box 30084-00100, NAIROBI so as to be received on or before 11.00 AM 4TH MARCH,
2016. Late bids will be rejected.
1.5 Tenders will be opened immediately thereafter in the presence of the candidates or their representatives, who choose to attend, at the 4th Floor Boardroom, Office of The Auditor- General,
Anniversary Towers, along University Way.
Office of the Auditor-General, Anniversary Towers. P. O. Box 30084-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254-20-2227383,
+254-20-3342330. Website: www.kenao.go.ke: Email: info@oagkenya.go.ke
Office of the Auditor-General Kenya

@OAG_Kenya

10 EASTERN/NE news

Reviving
Uhuru ICC
case futile
BY kirimi muriithi
ICC Prosecutor Fatou
Bensouda is fighting a losing
battle if she thinks she can
rekindle President Uhuru
Kenyattas case by citing
cases of witness interference,
an MP has said.
Speaking in Meru town
on Monday, county woman
representative Florence
Kajuju said the Assembly
of States Parties wants the
prosecutors office audited
on how it procured witnesses.
She said it recommended
scrutiny on the way witnesses are chosen and how
data is collected.
We are waiting for the
formation of the audit committee so we can re-examine
the way witnesses were
procured in the Uhuru and
[Deputy President William]
Ruto cases, Kajuju said.
She said Bensoudas
efforts are worthless
because the court said there
is no evidence to warrant
Uhurus prosecution.
A criminal case requires
proof beyond reasonable
doubt, Kajuju said.
Even if she attempts
now, she will fail miserably.

the Star

Embu MCAs reject

vomited rules team

photo/Reuben Githenji

BY reuben githinji
MCAs in Embu would
rather miss sittings for six
months than approve the
11-member House Business
Committee.
By a vote of 16 against
15 with one abstention, the
MCAs on Tuesday said they
cannot retake food that
we had vomited.
Majority leader Andrew
Musakwa first tabled the
teams names on February
9 to allow assembly sittings
to resume after the November recess.
Tabling the list afresh
on Tuesday, he said the assembly cannot do business
without the committee,
which is reconstituted every
year.
Musakwa said rejecting it
results in a six-month wait
for a fresh team to be presented for approval.
He agreed the committee requires amendments to
tackle gender equality and
representation of persons
with disability legislation.
Such changes can only be

BACK TO RECESS? Embu MCAs listen to majority leader Andrew Musakwa on

February 9, before they rejected a list of House Business Committee members.
carried out after the committee is approved, Musakwa said.
However, MCAs including deputy majority leader
Kanjogu Njiru rejected his
explanation.
Speaker Kariuki Mate
adjourned plenary and

committee meetings until

further notice. He said the
teams repeated rejection
was saddening.
This effectively sends the
MCAs home for lack of
business.
Among the business to
be delayed is the passing

of the 2014-15 supplementary budget. Some 25 Jubilee MCAs voted out Musakwa on December 7 last
year and replaced him with
Nyaki Muria.
The speaker declared the
move illegal and unprocedural, retaining Musakwa.

Isiolo elders oppose calls

for fresh land balloting
BY HUSSEIN SALESA

lets talk: Tharaka Nithi Interfaith Network members at a press briefing

yesterday in Ndagani, where they called for dialogue to end nurses strike.

Clergy ready to mediate in

Tharaka Nithi nurses strike
CLERICS in Tharaka Nithi yesterday
offered to mediate between the county
and medical workers to permanently
solve problems that lead to frequent
strikes.
Nurses went on strike on Februrary
8, accusing the county of failing
to remit risk, housing and other
allowances, as agreed last year.
The Tharaka Nithi County Interfaith
Network said religious leaders are
dismayed by repeated disruption in
healthcare services.
This has caused unimaginable
pain and suffering for our people,
chairman Dionision Murungi said.
Residents heavily rely on services
offered by public hospitals, clinics and
dispensaries.
He was speaking to the press in
Ndagani, Chuka-Igambangombe

in BRIEF
Munyas wife
in cancer drive
meru Governor Peter
Munyas wife Phoebe
has begun a campaign to
educate residents on cancer
and related illnesses.
Launching a weeks free
cancer screening in Igembe
South yesterday, she appealed to industry players
to help the fight against
cancer.
I urge residents to come
and get checked, she said.
We do not want our
people to suffer the effects
of cancer without knowing
how to avoid it.

Diploma for
reps unfair

Photo/ Dennis Dibondo

BY Dennis Dibondo

Thursday, February 18, 2016

constituency.
Murungi said the county should
be more proactive in dealing with
healthcare problems, despite resource
constraints.
He also urged nurses to resume
services, as solutions to their
grievances are sought.
We call on healthcare personnel to
adhere to their call of service to the ill
and suffering, Murungi said.
He urged the Kenya National Union
of Nurses and the county to hold talks.
They should immediately engage in
open and sincere dialogue, with a view
to ironing out any pending issues,
Murungi said.
The chairman said religious leaders
are ready to advise the government
and the nurses union.
This will help them reach consensus
for the common good of residents, he
said.

MPs trying to resolve land

disputes in Isiolo county
may cause more problems
than solutions, elders from
four communities have said.
The Lands Committee,
chaired by Naivasha
MP John Kihagi, visited
the county on Tuesday
following a petition by the
Okoa Jahazi Sacco lobby.
The petitioners asked the
MPs to revoke the 200809 land allocations done
through balloting.
Meeting in Isiolo town
yesterday, elders from the
Borana, Samburu, Somali
and Turkana communities

said the move was uncalled

for.
They said the lobby
petitioned Parliament
before exhausting local
mechanisms.
Borana Council of Elders
chairperson Abdullahi
Gonjobe accused the Lands
team of bias.
He said the MPs favoured
the petitioners by listening
to their side only.
Gonjobe urged MPs to
handle the committees
report with care.
He said implementing
the committees
recommendations could
trigger violence in the
already volatile area.

embu The bill proposing

MCAs have diplomas to
run for the seat should be
dropped, assembly speaker
Kariuki Mate has said.
Speaking to the Star in
his office yesterday, he said
the electorate should not be
limited in their choices by
education standards.
Mate said courts had
ruled Kenyans choice of
leaders should be respected
irrespective of education
levels.
He said the assembly
requires leadership skills
not academic qualifications.

County defies
order on goods
meru The county government has defied a court
order to surrender the
property of businessman
Njiru Mkombozi.
Meru principal magistrate Charles Kutwa last
month ordered the assets
released for inspection.
They include wagons, a
lorry and rice, impounded
over alleged nonpayment
of trade licence and excise
duties.
Yesterday, two inspection
officers turned up in court
but no county representative appeared.
Kutwa gave the county
until March 8 to comply to
the directive.

Voter listing going smoothly

in Mt Kenya East, says official
BY KIRIMI MURITHI
THE national mass voter
registration is going smoothly
in Mt Kenya East, IEBC
regional coordinator Aluisia
Kanini has said.
Speaking to the press in
Meru town on Monday, she
said 310 biometric voter
registration kits have been
distributed.
We need maturity in
Kenyas democracy to ensure
stability, Kanini said.
Between now and the

elections, we need to promote

peaceful coexistence to avoid
plunging the country into
anarchy.
Meru women representative
Florence Kajuju was present.
Kanini said every ward
has at least two kits, which
are spread across the 19
constituencies.
She said a vigorous voter
registration campaign is being
carried out.
The coordinator urged
leaders to support the
registration to ensure they

attain their target.

Kanini said the voter
register is reviewed monthly
in conjunction with the
department of registration of
deaths and births.
She urged voters to go and
inspect the register to ensure
their details are captured well
to avoid inconvenience on the
voting day.
Kanini said Mt Kenya East
has 880,000 registered voters.
Kajuju said the region can
register 1.9 million voters
before next year.

the Star

EASTERN/NE news 11

Thursday, February 18, 2016

UoN lecturer
eyes Kitui
woman rep
BY musembi nzengu
A University of Nairobi
lecturer has declared her
interest in the Kitui woman
representatives seat.
Irene Kasalu, who
teaches mathematics, made
the announcement a month
after incumbent Nyiva
Mwendwa said she will
not vie again because of
her age.
Speaking in Kitui town
during the launch of the
David Musila Foundation
on January 11, Mwendwa
said she will be a political
adviser to those seeking
leadership.
Kasalu said she has what
it takes to win the seat.
She addressed the media
at a Kitui town hotel on
Monday evening.
Kasalu said she wants to
serve the county women.
I am educated, a married woman and a mother
of two. I have over the
years served women from
across the country through
various non-governmental
groups, she said.
Kasalu said in 2013 she
unsuccessfully vied for Nairobi woman representative
seat on a Ford-K ticket.

Pupils pick miraa at

night, sleep in class

photo/ Reuben Githinji

BY Reuben Githinji
Miraa growing in Mbeere
subcounty, Embu county, is
hurting childrens performance in school.
Gikiiro chief Eston Ireri
said the children doze off
in class the whole day because they must pick miraa
at night.
He said parents wake up
their children at 2am.
Speaking at Mutus Primary School during an
education meeting, Ireri
said if the trend continues,
it will be detrimental to the
childrens future.
He said development in
the area will also be hurt
as the number of educated
people will continue to decline.
Ireri said parents forcing
their children to pick miraa
at night will be arrested
and prosecuted.
The administrator said
miraa farmers no longer
pick the stimulant during
the day and most of them
do not want to employ casuals for the job.

forced to toil: Gikiiro chief Eston Ireri addresses pupils of Mutus Primary School
in Mbeere South, Embu county, on February 9.
He said it is a security
risk for the children and
their parents to work at
night.

100,000 residents in Dadaab

refugee database ask for IDs

photo/ Stephen Astariko

BY STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Two legislators from
Garissa county have urged
the government to fasttrack a report on issuing
IDs to Kenyans registered
as refugees.
They said 100,00 eligible
youth in the county may
be locked out of the voter
registration that started on
Monday.
Speaking in Dadaab during the handover of three
boreholes financed by Islamic Relief yesterday, area
MP Mohamed Dahiye said
the report should be tabled
in the National Assembly
for debate and adoption.
Garissa woman representative Shukran Gure
said most residents registered as refugees in Dadaab
after losing livestock their
only source of livelihood
to drought.

dont lock them out: Garissa woman representative

Shukran Gure in Dadaab town yesterday.
She said Northeastern
has the lowest number of
registered voters because
the residents cannot
acquire IDs as they appear
as refugees in the UNHCR
database.
If the government
values the residents of

Northeastern, then it
should urgently address this
problem, which has denied
youth jobs and business,
she said.
Gure urged the government to allocate IEBC more
funds and extend the onemonth registration.

Sh4m for Meru orphans, vulnerable kids

BY KIRIMI MURITHI
Orphans and vulnerable children in
Meru county have received Sh4 million
from the Affirmative Action Social Development Fund.
Speaking at Timau when she disbursed
cheques for 100 vulnerable children, woman representative Florence Kajuju said Buuri constituency received Sh383,000.
The fund has experienced problems be-

cause of an ongoing court case. The first

allocation for the county was released and
Meru got Sh40 million. We hope we will
reach out to many people across the county, she said.
Kajuju said once the case is finished, they
will know if more money will be allocated.
We decided not to wait for the case to
be finalised. That is why we gave what we
have. We started with schoolchildren so they
continue with their education, she said.

Ireri said they are denying the children their right

to education.
He said because they

earn a lot of money, they

should ensure part of their
money pays for their childrens education.

Farmers sell
produce at
low price
BY Lydia ngoolo
Mwingi farmers are selling their produce at throwaway prices after a bumper
harvest.
A kilo of ndengu, which
fetches as much as Sh200,
is going for Sh35.
Mwingi Central subcounty agriculture officer
Samuel Kamau said they
have tried in vain to convince the farmers not to sell
their produce.
He said they argue the
Agriculture ministry did
not help them in their
farms.
They cannot be stopped
so we can only tell them
why they should preserve
their produce until the market is promising, Kamau
said.
He said the farmers do
not trust the National
Cereals and Produce Board,
which can be their saviour
now.
Mwingi NCPB manager
Gideon Ntoribi said the
board is waiting for directives from headquarters
in a month to buy 15,000
bags of ndengu in Mwingi
North and Mwingi Central
for Sh60 to Sh65 per kilo.

12 central news

the Star

Photo/ Stanley Njenga

Three dead in Stop squabbling, help residents senator

Githurai crash BY stanley njenga
Uhuru said he does not like
is a problem in Central
BY ALBERT NYAKUNDI
TWO people including a
motorcyclist and a passenger died in a crash on near
Githurai yesterday morning.
Kiambu traffic boss Leah
Gita yesterday said the
motorist lost control of his
vehicle and hit motorcyclist
Moses Mbuthia.
The bodies were taken to
the Nairobi City mortuary.
The motorist, who fled, is
being pursued by police.
Both the vehicle and the
motorbike were towed to
Kiambu police station.
Some metres away on the
same road, a matatu was involved in a crash that killed
a woman passenger.
Witnesses say a bus
belonging to Sunbird company hit the matatu but a
company official denied the
claim.
The matatu driver and 13
passengers were taken to
Kiambu District Hospital.

Girl, 15, seeks

fees sponsor
BY james Wainaina
A widow with eight
children is appealing for
funds to take her 15-yearold daughter to secondary
school.
The girl wants to become
a surgeon.
Yesterday, Julia Kinuthia,
47, said she needs Sh54,000
to take her daughter Eunice
Gathoni to Chania Girls
High School.
The amount is exclusive
of learning materials and
uniforms.
Gathoni scored 331
marks in the KCPE exam.
Kinuthia is a fresh produce vendor at Witeithie
open air market.
She said her other children are of school-going
age.
Gathoni said: Im still
optimistic I will get a sponsor to help me pursue my
education. I think the society and government have
a responsibility to assist
children from poor families
access education.
Gathoni said Kenya needs
educated youths to chart
the destiny of the society.

Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi has urged

leaders to heed President
Uhuru Kenyattas advice
on engaging in constructive politics to ensure the
county develops.
Speaking in Kiambu on
Wednesday, he said infighting hurts services and
disunites residents.
During his Nyeri visit,
the President said there

Kenya as leaders are always

fighting. We need to focus
on serving the people,
Wamatangi said.
This is a new year and
we should do things differently. Let us as leaders
work together as harmony
paves the way for development.
During the 5th National
and County Government
Co-ordinating Summit at
the Sagana State Lodge,

going to Kiambu because

Governor William Kabogo
and Kabete MP Ferdinand
Waititu are always fighting.
I like to visit Central
Kenya often but I have a
problem. There is so much
infighting between leaders
and the problem is all the
leaders are my friends, he
said.
You see baba yao and
Kabogo fighting and my
meeting ends in disarray.

PEOPLE NOT POLITICS: Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi, speaker Gathii Irungu and Gatuanyaga MCA Cecilia
Wamaitha at the Kiambu county assembly on Tuesday.

Muranga, Kirinyaga
fight over highway

Nyandarua
medics to
go on strike
BY Ndichu Wainaina

Photo/ALICE WAITHERA

BY Alice Waithera
and Jane Mugambi
PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyattas directive to divert the
Kenol-Sagana-Marwa dual
carriageway to Muranga
town has sparked a feud
between Muranga and Kirinyaga counties.
Uhuru gave the order
last week during his tour of
Central.
He said he had heard the
pleas of Muranga leaders,
led by Senator Kembi Gitura, who have relentlessly
called for the carriageways
redesign.
Gitura had said the dual
carriageway meant to ease
traffic on the Sagana highway would kill Muranga
towns economy.
Kembi said most people
travelling from Nairobi
to Nyeri county prefer using the Muranga-Othaya
route, as it is shorter, and
this improves the economy
of Muranga town.
Muranga
Governor
Mwangi Wairia and Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau
praised the directive, saying
the dual carriageway will
transform the town into a
24-hour economy.
There are no major
towns on the Kenol-Sagana highway and it would
not make sense to bypass
the town which is already
struggling economically,
Gitura said.
He said Muranga would
be disadvantaged by the ab-

ROAD RAGE: Workers repair the Kenol-Muranga-Sagana road on January 19 last year.
sence of major link roads.
However, leaders from
Kirinyaga county, led by
Governor Joseph Ndathi,
have urged the government
not to change the route.
He said many towns on
the Sagana highway will be
reduced to ghost towns and
urged the President to use
the initial design.
Ndathi has said the government has shortchanged
Kirinyaga.
He said residents were
preparing to develop property on the highway.
Ndathi said the county

Photo/ Wambugu Kanyi

had also set aside land to

build hotels.
I am urging the President
to urgently call a meeting
with leaders from Kirinyaga and Muranga counties
to resolve the dispute, he
said.
Ndathi said the government should source for alternative funds to develop
the Kenol-Muranga road,
instead of rechanneling
money meant for the KenolSagana-Marua dual carriageway.
Muranga county assembly chief whip and Kambiti

MCA David Kabaka said

Makuyu, Kambiti and Gwa
Thamaki towns will be hurt
by the diversion.
It is unfortunate elected
leaders have been agitating
for the redesign of the dual
carriageway, which would
have opened up the small
towns on the Sagana highway, Kabaka said.
Let those claiming to
have lobbied for the road
know they have killed
Makuyu
and
Kambiti
towns. They should have
lobbied for more funds for
the Kenol-Muranga road.

NYANDARUA county
health workers say they
will go on strike from midnight if their pay demands
are not met.
They have already told
residents to transfer their
relatives to other hospitals.
Acting health workers
chairman Alfred Kemori
said medics were promoted
on September 1 last year
and were to be paid accrued benefits backdated to
July 1 last year but this has
not been done.
He spoke to the press
after a meeting at JM Kariuki Memorial Hospital on
Tuesday evening.
Workers employed in
2014 also want to be
confirmed as permanent
employees.
On January 7, the health
workers representatives
presented their grievances
to Nyandarua Governor
Waithaka Mwangi, Health
executive Peter Mbugua
and chief health officer
Daniel Irungu.
The governor and his
team allegedly promised to
implement the salary increment by the first week of
February.
Kemori urged Waithaka
to address their grievances.
He also urged residents
to cooperate by withdrawing relatives from public
hospitals.
But if our grievances
are addressed and promotions are made by February
18 midnight, we will have
the motivation to work,
Kemori said.

Sanitary towels to keep Nyeri girls in school

BY WAMBUGU KANYI

WELL STAY IN CLASS: Kenya Salvation Army Primary School

students display sanitary pads given by the Nyeri government on
Monday. Many girls skip classes during their menstrual cycle.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

THE Nyeri government has

launched a Sh1.8 million sanitary
towel programme to keep more
than 9,000 standard eight students
in school.
The initiative was started after
the government realised that girls
score low marks in the KCPE
exam.
Acting Special Programmes
executive Gachanja Ngunyagi said
girls monthly absenteeism is a

major contributor to poor grades.

He spoke on Monday during
the programme launch at Mweiga
Primary School, Kieni West division.
Ngunyangi said 9,366 girls will
receive sanitary towels for a whole
year to avoid unnecessary interruptions of their studies.
We used year 2014 and year
2015 KCPE exam results for girls
as indicators. We found their performance is being affected by high
rates of absenteeism, he said.

Ngunyangi said the programme

will be expanded to cover students
in both public and private primary
schools.
We want to ensure young
girls are not staying away from
classes because they cannot manage their menstrual cycles. In the
near future, this programme will
be expanded to cover all school
girls, he said.
Special Programmes chief officer
Karimi Njeru said girls living in
slums are the worst affected.

THE Star

central news 13

Thursday, February 18, 2016

photo/ Monicah Mwangi

photo/Alice Waithera

Laikipia told
to develop
soil policy
BY Eliud Waithaka

huge support: President Uhuru Kenyatta with Central Kenya leaders after a meeting
on Sunday in Nyeri to discuss revival of the coffee sector.

Central traders
raise Sh52m
for politicians
By STAR REPORTER
The business community
in Central Kenya on
Tuesday raised Sh52 million
to support activities of the
regions elected leaders for
this month.
The money was raised in
an hour on Tuesday night at
a hotel on Kiambu Road.
It will cater for meetings,
including one held in Nyeri
town yesterday. Another
meeting is planned for
Limuru next week.
The leaders from the 11
counties have embarked
on a series of meetings to
discuss, among others, illicit
brew, issuance of IDs and
next years elections.
The meetings are being
coordinated by Central
Kenya
Leaders
patron
Kiraitu Murungi, the forums
chair, Dagoretti South MP

Dennis Waweru and his

Mukurwreini counterpart
Kabando Wa Kabando.
Others at the fundraiser
under the Mt Kenya
Foundation included Equity
Bank chairman Peter Munga
and former Kenya Revenue
Authority
Commissioner
General Michael Waweru.
The businessmen said
they will support the
political class financially to
push for a better business
environment across the
region.
We are supporting our
elected leaders to effectively
support
the
Jubilee
government by bringing
them together under their
parliamentary
group,
Munga said.
He and several of his peers
donated Sh10 million while
Waweru, who represented
MPs, and a representative

of the corporate executives

Polycap Igathe donated Sh1
million each.
Yesterday, Waweru said:
The synergy by our business
community will give the
region the backup it needs
to push the communitys
agenda. We are grateful for
the support.
Waweru said more than
600 MCAs from the region
will join the MPs and
governors tomorrow at the
Out Span Hotel.
President
Uhuru
Kenyattas
family
was
represented at the fundraiser
by his uncle George Muhoho
and cousin Anna Nyokabi,
Kiambu county woman
representative.
Muhoho said: We want
our leaders to speak in one
voice. The regions economic
power must be protected by
good leadership.

The Laikipia government

has been urged to develop
a policy for soil fertility
analysis, mapping and
management to increase
agricultural production.
County assembly
Agriculture Committee
chairman Paul Lesheul
tabled a motion on
Tuesday asking the
administration to develop
the policy.
Lesheul said soil
analysis is an important
management tool in
assessing the need for
nutrients in fertiliser
and manure to maintain
fertility.
He said said the analysis
will help to identity which
areas are best for crop
production and those for
livestock.
Nominated MCA
Daisy Maitho questioned
what happed to the
report on soil sampling
commissioned by Governor
Joshua Irungu last year.
Agriculture chief officer
Martin Mwangi did not
answer phone calls when
contacted for comment.

By Nganga Thairu

A leopard on Tuesday night killed 11 goats

at a home in Nyakumu village, Laikipia
East subcounty.
The leopard, said to have come from
neighbouring Loldaiga Ranch, killed goats
belonging to Wilson Muthura.
Muthuras son Eric Munyi said the
animal destroyed part of the goats shed to
gain entry.
The big cat fled after it heard commotion
of people moving out of houses, he said.
Isaac Githui, a neighbour, said cases of
human-wildlife conflict in the area have
escalated.
He said a hyena killed a calf on Monday.
Githui said a fence erected to stop wild
animals from Loldaiga and Ole Naishu
ranches is damaged.

Gatundu North MP Kigo Njenga has

urged his constituents to register as voters
in large numbers to give the Jubilee government a fresh mandate in next years polls.
He said under the leadership of President
Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, the country is developing well.
Njenga cited the standard gauge railway,
which he said will lower transport costs
and the rural and primary schools electrification programmes.
History has proved that bad governments are made by people who refuse to
vote. We must avoid a situation where we
shall regret the wrong people taking the
reins of government, he said.
He visited voter registration centres in his
constituency on Tuesday.

Rachel Ruto tells women

to start small enterprises
BY Alice Waithera
Deputy President William
Rutos wife Rachel has
urged women to invest in
small enterprises to generate
income for their families.
She cautioned them
against depending on their
husbands for financial support and encouraged them
to work independently.
Rachel was addressing memebrs of the Joyful
Womens Organisation at
Kandara on Tuesday.
She was with Muranga
woman representative

Sabina Chege.
Rachel said some families
struggle financially, as the
money earned by husbands
is insufficient, yet there are
many small-scale businesses
that do not require much
capital.
She urged women to save
to enable them to start businesses.
Rachel urged parents to
start saving for the education of their children when
they are young.
She said it is unfortunate
some children miss out on
education.

Tune to

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(5.00AM - 10.00AM)

Leopard kills goats, Register in large

residents in fear
numbers, says MP
BY Eliud Waithaka

save for future: Deputy President William Rutos wife

Rachel (second right) and Muranga woman representative Sabina Chege dance at Kandara on Tuesday.

Miriam Koki
alias Sister Mirry

Jeremiah Mumo
alias Nzau ya wia

Macdonald Mathew
alias Daktari

Liu wa Veva
Nikyau Kiutetya Nguku
Mbunge ya Mwenenthi

NEWS HOTLINES: 0710 636764, 0731 046647

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14 coast NEWS
briefs

Man denies
having bhang
MALINDI A man was yesterday charged with having
bhang.
Gawawa Omar was
allegedly found with 112
rolls of bhang worth
Sh11,200 at New Stage,
Malindi subcounty, on
January 31.
The bhang weighed
5.1kg.
Omar denied the charges
and was released on
Sh50,000 bond.

the Star

Photo/ ELKANA JACOB

Tourists cars wont queue at Likoni

BY ALLOYS MUSYOKA
THE change of guard at
the Kenya Ferry Services
has started to yield fruit.
The management has
said tourists vehicles
heading to the South
Coast and those crossing to the island will not
queue.
Hundreds of tourists
have in the past missed
their flights over delays at
the only Likoni Channel.

KFS acting managing

director Bakari Gowa said
tourists vehicles will not
queue like other vehicles.
Gowa took over in
January after Hassan
Musa was sacked.
Tourists vehicles will
be given priority to cross
from the island to the
South Coast, Gowa said.
He said they will provide services as expected
to help customers and
businesspeople.

Gowa spoke after meeting Kwale Governor Salim

Mvurya and other executives in Kwale on Tuesday.
Tourism is just picking
up after months of going
without business due to
insecurity, he said.
Present were Governor
Salim Mvurya, Tourism
executive Adan Sheikh,
Jacaranda Indian Ocean
manager Ann Safari and
Hill Park Hotels manager
Gorge Mokaya.

Photo/file

STRANDED: Tourists at the Likoni Channel after a ferry

stalled, causing a massive jam, on October 26, 2015.
Photo/Manuel Odeny

Sh10,000 bail
for trees theft
MALINDI A man was yesterday charged with stealing
indigenous trees.
Chogo Nzai allegedly
had 50 indigenous logs
without a permit.
He was arrested on January 2 in Madunguni village, Magarini subcounty.
Nzai denied the charges
before Malindi resident
magistrate Caroline Nzibe.
He was released on
Sh10,000 bail.

Duo on jumbo
tusks charge
MALINDI Two men were
yesterday accused of illegally ferrying elephant
tusks.
Joshua Kahindi and
Jonathan Thoya denied
having the ivory in Magarini subcounty on August 7,
2013.
They were released on
Sh50,000 bond each.
Malindi senior resident
magistrate Yusuf Shikanda
set the case for May 9.

SUSPECT: Junda MCA Paul Onje.

WHY? Activist Shem Shefa.

BY MANUEL ODENY

outside the pub after a

quarrel where the other
four suspects were waiting.
Ngetich said Shefa was
hit with a sharp object
and had several cuts.
He said Onje is the
prime suspect.
All five suspects were
known to Shefa and came
from the same area in
Rongo town, Ngetich
said.
He said police recovered pangas used in the
crime.

Mombasa MCA linked

to activists death
A Mombasa MCA is being held at Kamagambo
police station, Rongo
town.
Junda MCA Paul Onje
has been in custody since
Sunday.
Onje is linked to the
death of political activist
Shem Shefa.
Shefa was the organising secretary of Migori
County Youth Forum, a
county youth group.
Rongo police boss

Jonathan Muganda said

Onje is among five suspects being held as police
investigate.
Right now he is not
an honourable member,
Muganda said on the
phone yesterday.
Onje will appear in
court on Tuesday, he said.
Shefa was killed on
Sunday during a drinking
spree at Stage Park bar in
Rongo town.
Rongo AP commander
David Ngetich on Monday said Onje called Shefa

Sonko camps in Malindi for Registration drive marred

Jubilee candidate campaign by vote hunt Kaya elder
BY ALPHONCE GARI
Nairobi Senator Mike
Sonko yesterday led the
Jubilee candidate in the
Malindi by-election on a
meet-the-people tour.
Sonko was with candidate Phillip Charo,
Lunga Lunga MP Khatib
Mwashetani and nominated Senator Mvita Kisasa.

County sets
aside Sh166m
for tourism
BY ERNEST CORNEL

Statements to
be translated
MALINDI A man accused
of stealing a goat yesterday asked to have witness
statements translated into
Kiswahili.
Senior resident magistrate Yusuf Shikanda told
the prosecution to help
Charo Katana get translated statements.
He is accused of stealing
the goat in Mambrui village, Magarini subcounty,
last December 6.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

They were received by

Jubilee supporters who
shouted tumehamia JAP
(we have decamped to
JAP).
On March 7 I kindly
urge you to vote for a perfect candidate who would
use CFD funds well, said
Sonko.
He has been in Malindi
since Saturday.

BY PHILIP MBAJI
Instead of leaders pushing residents to register as
voters, they are out campaigning for the Malindi byelection, an elder has said.
Mijikenda Kaya Elders
Council secretary Vincent
Mwachiro yesterday said
it would be difficult to balance the events.

Speaking on the phone

yesterday, Kinango MP
Gonzi Rai said he mobilised
grassroots leaders to oversee the registration.
Few fresh voters have
been recorded in Rabai and
Kaloleni.
Rai said he is monitoring
the situation closely in his
Kinango constituency even
though he is in Malindi.

The body was taken

to Homa Bay mortuary
for postmortem and later
moved to Rosewood mortuary in Rongo town.
Migori
nominated
MCA John Kennedy on
Monday said the incident
is unfortunate.
Governor aspirant Anne
Anyanga said: We are yet
to start official campaigns
yet our youth are killed
with pangas. The attacks,
especially in Rongo and
Awendo, should be investigated.

THE Mombasa county

assembly passed the Supplementary Appropriations
Bill.
It authorises the issuance
of Sh10 billion out of the
County Revenue Fund until
the end of the 2015-16
financial year.
Some Sh6.6 billion was
set aside for recurrent expenditure and Sh3.4 billion
for development.
The bill was rammed
through by MCAs during the evening session on
Tuesday.
The recurrent expenditure includes salaries,
general administration and
financial management.
The bill now awaits
Governor Hassan Johos
approval and set recurrent
expenditure for the executive headquarters office at
Sh837 million.
The County Public
Service Board got Sh112
million, while Sh795 million was channelled to the
Finance department.
The CPSB also received
Sh20 million for strategic planning and human
resource formulation.
The Finance and
Economic Development
department received Sh657
million for capital expenditure, general administration
and planning.
Tourism got Sh106 million for expenses and Sh60
million for development.
The Education department was allocated Sh246
million for recurrent
expenditure.

Three-year-old girls
rapist gets life sentence
BY KERUBO LORNAH
A man will serve a life
sentence for defiling a
three-year-old girl.
Juma Wanje defiled the
girl on October 22, 2013 in
Malindi subcounty.
The child could not talk.
The prosecution called
five witnesses in the case.
The case was heard

before Malindi resident

magistrate Janet Wandia.
The girls mother said she
was alerted by a neighbour
who saw the girl being held
by a man and crying.
She then took her to
hospital where tests were
conducted on her.
A clinical officer based in
Malindi subcounty said the
girl was defiled.

the Star

coast news 15

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Two schools
lack head
teachers
BY RAPHAEL MWADIME
A Wundanyi MP aspirant
has blamed parents and
politicians for declining
education standards.
Steven Saleka said two
primary schools have been
operating without head
teachers for six weeks but
the authorities have not
intervened.
He spoke to the Star on
the phone yesterday.
Saleka said parents
of Msangarinyi Primary
School students forcibly
transferred the head teacher
for allegedly misusing
Sh1,000 for firewood.
She was transferred to
Ngulu Primary School in
Wundanyi but refused to
report.
This month she was
transferred to Jora Primary
School in Voi.
For six weeks, political leaders and education
officials watched helplessly
without offering any solution. Students are the ones
who suffered most, Saleka
said.
This is the reason why
our education performance
in national examinations
has continued to decline.

Hitches, confusion
slow voter listing

Health cover
may soon be
compulsory
BY CHARLES MGHENYI

photo/ Andrew Kasuku

BY CALVIN ONSARIGO
and MOSES MZUNGU
SOME Mombasa residents
yesterday said they do not
know where the centres for
the ongoing mass voter registration are.
A spot check by the Star
revealed many residents had
camped at the IEBC voter
registration centres at Lohana Hall, Majengo village,
Sakina and Lasco.
Its unfortunate IEBC
decided to change the traditional way of registering voters. This has created confusion and many people have
decided to go back home,
resident Said Kibwana from
Majengo village said.
He said the Independent
Electoral and Boundaries
Commission should have
conducted awareness campaigns before launching the
exercise.
IEBC South West Coast
regional coordinator Gogo
Nguma said the commission
released a timetable on how
the biometric voter registration kits will be distributed.

lack of information: A Mombasa resident has her digital fingerprints taken by a

clerk during the IEBC mass voter registration drive at Makadara Grounds on Monday.
Voters should not go
to the specific registration
centres where they wish to
be registered and eventually
vote. They should go where
we have scheduled for BVR
kits to be stationed, he told
the press yesterday.
In Galole constituency,
Tana River county, only

three new voters had turned

up by Tuesday.
Speaking in Hola town,
IEBC officer Ibrahim Lango
said the commission is targeting 6,000 voters.
Lango said network
hitches have hurt communication with registration
clerks on the ground mak-

ing it unable to monitor the

process.
Nguma said: We have a
timetable of BVR kit movement around the wards and
that should guide them to
go for registration.
There are 62 registration
centres in Mombasa and 88
in Kwale county.

THE national government

has announced plans to
make health insurance
compulsory.
On Monday, Health CS
Cleopa Mailu said 40 per
cent of Kenyans do not
seek healthcare when they
fall sick because of the cost.
He spoke during a
retreat for senior staff of
the Health ministry at the
Sarova Whitesands Beach
Resort in Mombasa.
Mailu said out of pocket
expenditure accounts for
32 per cent of total health
expenditure.
He said this is unacceptable because 45 per cent of
Kenyans live in poverty.
We need to educate
our people to buy medical
cover instead of relying on
out-of-pocket payments,
Mailu said.
We have agreed we need
to move towards making it
mandatory for all people to
belong to a health plan as
the government continues
to strengthen mechanisms
of catering to the poor.
Mailu said protecting
the poor from high health
expenditure is difficult.

No cash for rehiring 2,400 EPZ

staff, company tells assembly
photo/ Andrew Kasuku

BY CHARLES MGHENYI
TALKS to reinstate 2,400
employees of the MK Apparel EPZ in Changamwe
hit a snag on Tuesday.
The company directors
and the sacked workers appeared before the
Mombasa county assembly
Labour and Social Affairs
committee on Tuesday to
find a solution.
The employees complained of unfair dismissal
on December 24.
Other complaints include
poor working conditions,
sexual harassment, salary
deductions and working
overtime without payment.
Financial director Pankaj
Mehta said the company
does not condone sexual
harassment.
He said there were no
dismissals but rather workers contracts expired and

oney
Save m e now!
crib
& subs ROUS
GENE
UNTS
DISCO D;
E
OFFER
well find a way: Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar addresses MK Apparel EPZ workers on February 4.
could not be renewed because the company is doing
badly financially.
We do not have any
business orders from
abroad. When we get new
orders, we will take them
back, Mehta said.
However, Labour com-

mittee chairman Tom

Ogolla said workers were
sacked for joining a union.
Workers representative
Timothy Were said problems started in December
2014 when they joined the
Tailors and Textile Workers
Union.

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: Page

News

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FRESH

, INDEP

ent: Page

ENDE

BY MALEMBA MKONGO
THREE men suspected of murdering three
people in Kaisar village in Mpeketoni will
be remanded in Shimo la Tewa until next
Thursday.
Jamaa Ahmed, Mohammed Halil and
Ahmed Hiloble are accused of killing Japhet
Shethi, Joel Wachira and Julius Mwaura on
January 31.
Assistant director of public prosecutions

Alexander Muteti ordered a psychiatric assessment before they take a plea.

Muteti said the men were transferred
from Malindi to Shimo la Tewa prison for
security reasons.
Justice Dora Chepkowny ordered the
suspects be assigned a state counsel before
standing trial.
Ahmed, Halil and Hiloble allegedly attacked villagers and several residents were
seriously injured.

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16 rift valley news

Students
run for soft
courses
BY kiplangat kirui
NAROK Governor Samuel
Tunai has urged secondary
schools to make sciences
compulsory because their
is a shortage of technical
professionals.
He said they do not have
enough engineers because
most university and college
students opt for softer
courses.
Tunai was speaking at
Narok Boys High School
when he launched the
Governors Cup football
tournament on Tuesday.
He said investors signed
Sh536 billion deals last
December so there is a high
demand for technical jobs.

the Star

KVDA completes its

Eldoret plaza in June

Photo/mathes ndanyi

Nakuru youth adviser Kimani wa Kimani has urged

the county government to
offer free counselling for the
parents of soldiers killed in
al Shabaab attacks.
He said most of them end
up in depression.
Kimani spoke during the
burial of James Mwangi in
Jumatatu village, Subukia,
on Tuesday.
Mwangi was killed in the
El Adde attack in Somalia
on January 15.
Kimani said most of those
killed were breadwinners
for their families.

eyeing more cash: The southern wing of the KVDA Plaza under construction in Eldoret town.
BY mathews ndanyi
The second wing of the Kerio Valley Development Authority Plaza in
Eldoret town will be complete by
June.
The Sh400 million 14-storey
building will be the second tallest
in the town and region.
KVDA chief executive David Kimosop said the building will have
an international conference centre
fitted with modern gadgets to host
more than 400 people at a go.
The stadium-shaped centre will
be on the first floor.
The building will have offices to

let and a restaurant.

Construction of the southern
wing stalled more than two decades
ago.
Kimosop revived the project for
the authority to increase its income.
Under his leadership, the KVDA
made a surplus of Sh160 million
since it was established.
The money was saved in the 201213 financial year and since then the
organisation has performed well.
More than 12 commercial buildings are under construction in Eldoret.
They are likely to improve the

218 ECDE classrooms and 1,833

teachers some of Chebois gains
BY joseph kangogo
The Baringo government
has put up 218 Early
Childhood Development
Education classrooms in
six subcounties and hired
1,833 nursery teachers, Governor Benjamin
Cheboi has said.
He said he has also
established a Sh10 million
revolving fund for university students and Sh56
million for bursaries.
Students in secondary
school, colleges and universities will benefit.
In his state of the
county speech on Tuesday,
Cheboi said 1,400km of
roads will be done to ease
transport.
Although we appreciate the fact that we still
have more than 2,800km
of roads that require
upgrading, we urge the
national government,
through the Kenya Rural
Roads Authority and the
Kenya National Highways

in BRIEF
Hardship status
for county row
narok The Kuppet executive secretary, Charles
Ngeno, has urged MPs to
push for the gazetting of the
whole county as a hardship
area.
He said the Teachers
Service Commission should
repeal an Act that degazetted certain parts of the
county, which used to enjoy
hardship allowance.
Speaking to the Star on
the phone yesterday, Ngeno
said they will campaign
against any MP who does
not support the move.

Church urged to
help list voters

Counsel
soldiers
parents
BY joyce kimani

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Authority to allocate
funds, he said.
The governor said his
administration has sunk
boreholes and assisted
10,000 farmers to irrigate
2,500 acres.
Cheboi praised the
assembly for working
hand-in-hand with the
executive.
The governor said

MCAs have passed 16

bills.
The bills include the
Charcoal Production,
Electricity Reticulation,
County Disaster Management Policy and Alcohol.
Majority leader Wesley
Lekakimon said they can
do better as many bills
have not been passed.
Photo/joseph kangogo

we can do better: Baringo majority leader Wesley

Lekakimon outside the assembly on Tuesday.

face of the town.

The high number of new commercial buildings is attributed to
a rising demand for office space,
malls and colleges.
We are seeing many investors
putting up buildings because Eldoret is now experiencing quick
growth, with new businesses coming up in all parts of the town, Uasin Gishu Housing executive Robert Ngisirey said.
County records indicate all upcoming buildings have been duly
registered and approved.
The tallest building will have 26
floors.

Be apolitical, IEBC urged

council tells to set up
Narok elders toll-free line
BY kiplangat kirui

BY Joyce Kimani

THE National Council of

Elders has urged Maasai
elders to shun partisan
politics and stick to their
mediation role.
Chairman John Maitai
said it is regrettable that
elders are being used by
politicians to endorse, bless
and appease them for political posts.
He said this dilutes the
moral values of respected
elders.
Maitai was speaking to
the press in Narok town on
Tuesday, accompanied by
the councils organising secretary Hassan ole Kamwaro
As the national council
of elders, we do not support
any individual or party
as all the contestants and
leaders are our children. We
mediate and offer our wise
counsel for the people to
elect leaders who can unite
the country, he said.

Nakuru residents want

the Independent Electoral
and Boundaries Commission to set up a toll free
line as voter registration
continues.
They said they have questions about the exercise
which started on Monday,
but they do not know how
to address them.
Many youth are already
confused, especially those
who want to move from
one polling station to
another. There should be
some means to reach the
IEBC for answers to the
questions being raised,
county youth adviser Kimani wa Kimani said.
Resident Joseph Muchemi said Muslims are afraid
they will be required to
remove hijabs for photographs, which keeps them
off the centres as this is
against their faith.

nakuru The church has

been urged to help in
ensuring more Kenyans
register as voters.
Religious leaders
from the county said
the church has a role in
creating public awareness
about the registration.
Beyond Peace and
Conflict Resolution
Council chairman Bishop
Abraham Gitu said the
church should not appear
to play an opposition
role.
There has been a low
turnout in Nakuru town
since the registration
started on Monday.

P&G gives 8m
sanitary pads
nyandarua Proctor &
Gamble has since 2006
donated eight million sanitary towels to the Always
Keeping Girls in School
programme.
The programme, which
educates girls on menstrual
hygiene, has reached 1.5
million in East Africa.
Speaking in Nyandarua
yesterday, Proctors associate director of communications for Sub-Saharan Africa Khululiwe Mabaso said
the company has provided
sanitary pads, puberty and
reproductive health education and financial literacy
training to 100,000 girls.

Health centres
short of drugs
uasin gishu The county
government has been urged
to equip new health facilities.
Kuinet-Kapsuswa MCA
Rebecca Magut said despite
the county government
opening several new health
facilities, most of them do
not have basic medicine.
Speaking at the county
assembly on Tuesday, he
said most patients are referred to the Moi Teaching
and Referral Hospital.
Magut said the assembly passed a budget that
factored in drugs.

the Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

rift valley news 17

photo/Mathews Ndanyi

Sports to
end Nandi,
Luo clashes

photo/Mathews Ndanyi

BY Rita Damary

Regaining lost glory: Kanus Benson Kiptire (Kapyego ward) speaks at a rally in his
ward in Elgeyo Marakwet on Tuesday. He said Kanu is becoming popular in the Rift Valley.

Kanu wave will

drown Jubilee
in Rift official
BY Mathews Ndanyi And
Sharon Chepchirchir

pening in Kericho at the

moment, we have started a
massive campaign to ensure
that Kanu regains its popularity ahead of 2017, Benson Kiptire said.
He is the minority leader
in Elgeyo Marakwet.
Kiptire spoke at a Kanu
rally in Kapyiego ward on
Tuesday.
He said Kanu will address most of the challenges
affecting residents of the
region.
Kiptire said members fully
support party leader Gideon
Moi (Baringo Senator).
Elgeyo Marakwet Kanu
chairman Paul Kibet and
provincial
representative
Jonathan Bii said Kanu will

succeed where the Jubilee

government has failed.
They spoke to the Star in
Eldoret town yesterday.
The partys candidate
Paul Sang is a front runner
in the Kericho mini poll.
Kiptire said Kanu will
field candidates for all positions next year.
The party officials said
they will back Moi for the
presidency.
Kibet accused Jubilee of
playing politics and not
solving problems affecting
farmers and other residents.
We have asked residents
of this region not to support
Jubilee blindly. Kanu is the
best party for the region
and the country, he said.

Chiefs told to
push for IDs

Leaders reject
Komen sack

Cement plant
for Endebess

Nakuru Residents yesterday urged chiefs to help

encourage youth to get IDs
ahead of next years poll.
Cord youth leaders, led by
Nakuru Wiper youth leader
Paul Munyao, told the press
the public administrators
should work with registrars
of persons.
The biggest hindrance to
voter registration, especially
in Cord strongholds, is delayed process of getting the
vital documents before the
campaign period ahead of
the 2017 general election,
he said.
Chiefs should encourage people in their areas of
administration to get IDs.

Nakuru Leaders have

criticised the sacking of the
governors chief of staff
Raymond Komen.
Led by Lee Kinyanjui, the
leaders termed the sacking
malicious and uncalled for.
He might be the first of
many who cannot conform
to a regime that excels in
petty politics at the expense
of development, he said.
Young and innovative
leaders have been suffocated
to give room to mediocre
supporters.
Komen told the Star on
the phone he was sacked
because of political differences with Deputy Governor
Joseph Ruto.

Trans Nzoia The county

government wants to build a
cement factory in Endebess.
Speaking in Kitale town
yesterday, Governor Patrick
Khaemba said the government has started talks with
Athi River Mining Company
to establish whether the
limestone in the county can
be used to produce cement.
The company will send
experts to conduct a feasibility study, he said.
In the next budget
estimates, the county will allocate funds for the project if
it is viable, Khaemba said.
Currently, Trans Nzoia
hosts a seed drying factory
and a KCC plant.

KANU leaders in Rift Valley are threatening to cause

a major political revolution
against Deputy President
William Ruto and Jubilee.
They have expressed confidence that the party will
win the Kericho senator
March 7 by-election and
also upset the 2017 general
election.
Branch officials from
Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi
and Uasin Gishu counties
said the former ruling partys influence is growing in
the Rift Valley and it will
defeat Jubilee.
Apart from what is hap-

THE National Cohesion

and Integration Commission
has identified key pillars to
foster peaceful co-existence
between residents of Kisumu
and Nandi counties.
Various activities are
aimed at preventing recurrence of violence at the
border of the two counties.
The Luo and Nandi have
had bouts of inter-ethnic
clashes at the border since
2013, mainly due to stock
theft, with the latest being
in the first week of January
this year.
NCIC chairman Francis
ole Kaparo said they will use
sports to unite residents and
promote peace.
Sports has been identified as a key pillar in fostering peaceful co-existence
between residents of Nandi
and Kisumu counties. We
will sponsor various teams
from the two counties with
a view to instil peace, he
said.
Kaparo spoke on Tuesday
in Nakuru town at a meeting attended by security
chiefs, leaders and elders
from Kisumu and Nandi
counties.

Poor quality: Kebs quality assurance manager in

North Rift Barnabas Lihema inspects some of the seized
counterfeit goods in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu, on Tuesday.

Kebs burns Sh2m

substandard goods
BY Mathews Ndanyi
COUNTERFEIT
goods
worth more than Sh2 million seized from markets and
shops in the North Rift have
been destroyed by the Kenya
Bureau of Standards.
The goods were burned at
the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital incinerator.
Barnabas Lihema, Kebs
quality assurance manager
in the North Rift, said the
products included cosmetics
and electronics.
He said consumers can
confirm the quality of a

product using a text message.

The brand name of any
good can be sent via SMS to
number 20023. A response
will be sent with details of
whether Kebs has certified
the goods.
Some of the cosmetics
used mostly by women have
chemicals that have been scientifically proved to be dangerous, Lihema said.
He said the agency has
deployed teams at the border and within the country
to seize and destroy all substandard goods.

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18 western news
briefs

the Star

Low turnout at Vihiga voter registration centre

photo/Joseph Jamenya

Murunga helps
disabled list
Bungoma Kimilili MP
Suleiman Murunga has offered to provide transport
for people living with disability to register as voters.
The MP urged administration officers at the grassroots to identify them.
Murunga said there are
few clerks deployed for the
registration drive.
He said Kimilili has four
wards and each is being
served by one BVR kit.
The MP spoke on Monday while presenting a Sh2
million cheque to Matili
Friends Secondary School
for building a domitory.

Fire destroys
three shops
Bungoma Traders at
Mabanga on the WebuyeMalaba highway are
counting losses after a fire
razed three shops.
No one was hurt.
Witness Grace Simiyu
said the Tuesday afternoon
fire might have been started
by an electric fault in one
shop, before it spread to
the other two.
Shop owner Martha
Nanjala said she does not
know the value of the
property lost.
I have two children
waiting to join university,
she said.
The fire was put out by
firefighters from Nzoia
Sugar Company.

MP questions
Sh600m loss
bungoma Kanduyi MP
Wafula Wamunyinyi has
given Nzoia Sugar Company acting MD one week
to account for the alleged
loss of Sh600 million.
He said the money was
lost in the seven months
MD Godfrey Wanyonyi
has been at the helm.Wamunyinyi spoke in Posta
Grounds on Saturday.
I have written to him
to explain why Sh600 million has been lost in seven
months. If he does not
respond, then we will send
him home, the MP said.
The MD could not be
reached for comment.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Busia to
build Sh85m
disaster unit
BY JANE CHEROTICH

number six: Irene Nyaleso ,70, registers as a voter at Mumboha Primary School, Vihiga county, yesterday. She is assisted by IEBC clerk Joel Opija, who said only five people have registered since Monday in the centre.

Oparanya blames state

for three stalled roads
BY HILTON OTENYO

THE construction of three

major roads in Kakamega
county has stalled, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has
said.
He said work on the
Kisumu-Kakamega,
Kakamega-Webuye
and
Sigalaga-Sidindi roads is no
longer going on.
The three roads are the
only national government

road projects in the county.

These are unfortunate signals of inertia and lack of
political will to implement
devolution,
Oparanya
said.
He said the country has
wasted a good opportunity
to open up the rural areas
for business, through delay
of devolving roads to the
counties.
The governor was delivering the state of the county

address to the fourth session of the county assembly

on Tuesday.
He accused the Senate of
usurping the oversight mandate given to county assemblies.
The Senate in complete
contravention of their mandate continues to work in
violation of the cardinal
guiding principle of delegate
representation and voting in
protection of the counties as

envisaged in the constitution, Oparanya said.

He said campaigns for extension of the term of office
of the Transition Authority
are both misplaced and unconstitutional.
As we come to the end
of the transition period,
the cost of devolved functions has never been conducted, leading to skewed
allocations to the counties,
Oparanya said

Photo/ file

Call to merge three referenda initiative

BY HILTON OTENYO
VIHIGA Senator George
Khaniri has urged politicians to stop tampering
with the constitution.
He said the current initiatives to amend the constitution should be merged to
create a document that all
Kenyans agree on.
This way the resultant
referendum will not be
acrimonious to polarise
the country, but an almost

consensus, he told the Star

on the phone.
He said Kenyans voted
for devolution and what is
required was a mechanism
to make the system work.
Khaniri said pushing
three separate referendum
of Okoa Kenya by Cord,
Pesa Mashinani by governors and Boresha Katiba
by Jubilee will confuse
Kenyans.
He said it will also create
room for selfish politicians

to water down the constitution.

The senator said the high
wage bill in government is
a reality, but it should not
be used by selfish leaders
for personal reasons.
Weve worn this shoe
for the last five years and
we know where it pinches.
We need to sit down as
leaders and harmonise the
three referendum initiatives
and come up with a common stand, Khaniri said.

THE Busia government will

build a Sh85 million Disaster Management Response
Centre, Governor Sospeter
Ojaamong has said.
He said the control
centre will have disaster
management staff, where
response strategy will be
planned and information
gathered.
Ojaamong spoke at
the county assembly on
Tuesday.
He said six other disaster
management centres will be
built in six subcounties.
They will be in Teso
North, Teso South, Nambale, Butula, Samia and
Bunyala subcounties.
The governor said the
county has hired four disaster management staff.
Ojaamong said two
firefighting engines will
be bought in the next few
weeks at a cost of Sh50
million.
He said Sh45 million had
also been set aside to buy
tractors.
A further Sh20 million
will be used to complete
a child protection centre
and each MCA will receive
Sh25 million as Ward Development Fund.
Ojaamong said his
government has purchased
drugs worth Sh88 million.
He said 108 nursery
classrooms are under construction.
The governor said each
ward will get three classrooms to add to the 105
constructed in the 2014-15
financial year.

AGREE ON ONE DOCUMENT: Vihiga Senator George

Khaniri at Friends School Senende, Hamisi subcounty,
during the schools annual general meeting last June 27.

Protect whistleblowers, clergy urges state 60,000 IDs uncollected in Bungoma

BY HILTON OTENYO
RELIGIOUS leaders in Kakamega county
have urged the government to protect
whistleblowers in the war on corruption.
Council of Imams and Preachers of
Kenya national chairman Sheikh Ateka
also asked leaders to shun hypocrisy, if the
war on corruption is to be won.
He said journalist Geoffrey Kiplagat and
businesswoman Josephine Kabura should
be protected by the state.
Kiplagat went public claiming judge
Philip Tunoi received Sh200 million to

deliver a ruling in favour of Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.

Kabura in an affidavit claims she and
others shared the missing Sh791 million
in the National Youth Service saga with
former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru.
Tunoi and Waiguru have denied the
claims.
As much as we call for the protection
of witnesses, we must ask where they
were when the graft was cooking only to
emerge when matters didnt favour them,
Ateka said.

BY BRIAN OJAMAA
BUNGOMA Governor Kenneth Lusaka
has urged residents to collect their IDs
from chiefs offices.
He said more than 60,000 IDs are still
lying in chiefs offices across the countys
nine constituencies.
For instance, I have seen around 500
uncollected IDs in this office. This is very
dangerous because if you dont have an ID
and dont register as a voter, you will not
take part in electing your preferred leader,
he said.

Lusaka spoke on Tuesday at Kamukywa

chiefs camp in Kimilili constituency.
He said a time will come when it will be
ruled that if one does not have an ID, he or
she will not get some services.
Lusaka said residents should be educated
on the voter registration drive.
He said leaders should urged residents to
turn up in large numbers.
Lusaka said the county is targeting to
register more than 300,000 voters.
He said his government will make
arrangements to help people living with
disability register.

the Star

nyanza news 19

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Photo/ Robert Omollo

Homa Bay expects revolutionary deals

By ROBERT OMOLLO
THE two-day trade forum
in Homa Bay county from
today will feature many
investment opportunities to
revolutionise the economy,
Trade executive Tom Ogada
has said.
Homa Bay will never be
the same after Friday, he
told the Star on the phone
yesterday.
Ogada said the
expected deals include an

aquaculture project, an
aviation school, a boat
building project, a cement
factory, a marine training
school and a maize milling
company.
Some 1,000 local and
international investors are
expected at the event, cosponsored by USAid and
other trade partners.
Cord leader Raila Odinga
will launch the conference
at the Homa Bay Tourist
Hotel.

Governor Cyprian
Awiti on Tuesday said top
officials from state agencies
will participate.
Some people are asking
why we are doing an
investment conference now,
when we have been in office
for three years, he said.
We are doing investment
for posterity. The investors
we are bringing here will
help the people of Homa
Bay long after we have left
office.

Tackle killer
gang, cops told

TRADE FORUM: Homa Bay attorney John Apollo, Trade executive Tom Ogada, Governor Cyprian Awiti and EGPAF representative Dave Muthama in Homa Bay town on Tuesday.
Photo/ Maurice Alal

Step aside
over assault,
Kusu tells VC

siaya A group of gangsters is terrorising and

killing residents of Ugunja
subcounty, parliamentary
aspirant Tom Nduku has
said.
Speaking to the Star
yesterday, he accused the
area security team of only
following changaa brewers for bribes.
Area police boss Samuel
Koskei said police have arrested the main suspects.

Kiosks burnt
in Mwembe
Kisii Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed yesterday when fire
gutted kiosks and houses in
Mwembe estate.
The 2am fire started in
one house as a result of
an electric fault, caretaker
Chacha Mwita told the
Star.
It was difficult for residents to put out because
it was spreading too fast,
he said.

BY JUSTUS OCHIENG
THE Kenya Universities
Staff Union wants a vice
chancellor in Siaya county
to step aside for investigations into alleged assault of
a staff member.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
University of Science and
Technology VC Stephen
Agong allegedly attacked
Jooust branch secretary
Mathews Oduol on February 8 during a staff protest.
Agong has denied the
allegations.
In a statement dated
Monday, secretary general
Charles Mukhwaya asked
him to take responsibility following the beastly,
primitive and savage assault.
Kusu wants Education
CS Fred Matiangi and
the Jooust council to immediately investigate the
conduct of the VC.
The VC should be
investigated with a view
to establishing his integrity and suitability to
continue occupying such
a senior public position,
Mukhwaya said.
He said workers have a
right to demand fairness,
equity and better terms and
conditions of service.
Nobody has the right to
assault any worker or accredited union representative exercising this right,
the official said.
Yesterday, Oduol said he
has recorded a statement
with police in Bondo.
Bondo police boss Paul
Kiarie told the Star they are
investigating.

briefs

MCAs pass two

education bills
progress papers: Migori Governor Okoth Obado issues a title deed to a resident of Nyatike subcounty on Tuesday.
Some 10,800 residents will be given the documents.

Use deeds for loans

you can pay Obado
BY MAURICE ALAL
BENEFICIARIES
of
10,800 title deeds in Migori
county should use them to
secure affordable loans for
development,
Governor
Okoth Obado has said.
Landownership problems
have hurt the livelihoods of
more than 50,000 residents
since Independence.
Dont
take
loans
without proper planning, as
you might end up losing the
land again, Obado said.
The governor was issuing
the title deeds on Tuesday
at Alendo Primary School

in Kanyasa ward, Nyatike

subcounty, on Tuesday.
Some 6,762 title deeds
will go to Kanyasa ward,
2,435 to Got Kachola
ward and 1,603 to Muhuru
ward.
Obado said the county
contributed Sh4.5 million to
the states land adjudication
programme to provide title
deeds.
The two governments
will collaborate more in the
next financial year to issue
title deeds to remaining
claimants, he said.
Obado said the county
will
not
entertain

cartels
selling
public
land
to
unscrupulous
buyers, because it hurts
development.
Those found guilty will
be prosecuted, the governor
said.
The county boss said
the Lands department is
working on planning and
modernising
Awendo,
Isebania, Rongo and Sori
towns.
This will end congestion
and
improve
urban
infrastructure, he said.
Lands executive Elizabeth
Ochaye-Alila said any
disputes will be resolved to

prevent mistakes.
We
shall
ensure
emerging issues are settled
and deeds given to genuine
landowners, she said.
Kanyasa resident Achar
Lango, 68, who received
a title deed, said the
documents will reduce land
conflicts.
Today I am the happiest
man on earth. I didnt know
this dream would one day
come true, he said.
We have been cheated
by many people about the
title deeds, but Im happy
the county has saved the
situation.

siaya The county assembly yesterday passed two

education bills to improve
access to learning.
They are the Siaya
County Education Bursary
Bill and the Early Childhood Education Bill.
The bills will allow our
pupils and students to access primary and secondary education without fees
hiccups, speaker George
Okode said.

Border killing
not tribal spat
migori The Monday killing of a man on the border
with Narok was not due
to tribal conflicts, county
commissioner Joshua
Chepchieng has said.
Samuel Marwa, 30, was
shot dead and his brother
Kimaiso, 26, injured.
Speaking to the Star in
his office yesterday, Chepchieng denied it was due
to conflicts between Kuria
and Maasai communities.

Probe death in Kisumu

cells, says rights lobby

No decision on folding to join JP, says Ford People

BY faith matete

FORD People has not yet

decided to merge with
Jubilee Party, secretary
general Albert Nyaundi has
said.
On Sunday, Deputy
President William Ruto
told Ford People and other
parties to dissolve and join
JP.
Nyaundi told the Star on
phone yesterday the Na-

HUMAN rights activists

in Kisumu have protested
against alleged extrajudicial
killing of suspects in police
cells.
Michael Abonyo was
allegedly arrested, detained
and tortured in Kondele
police station and later died
on February 10.

Yesterday, Kisumu City

Residents Voice chairman
Audi Ogada told the Star
Abonyo was detained for
more than 24 hours.
I witnessed the postmortem on Tuesday, and
it was clear Abonyo was
tortured, he said.
Nyanza regional coordinator Willy Lugusa said
they are investigating.

BY ANGWENYI GICHANA

tional Executive Council

is still consulting on the
matter.
Our NEC is deliberating with other parties.
There is nothing wrong
to talk with other parties,
especially the ruling party,
he said.
The official said if their
conditions are met, the
NEC will decide to dissolve
the party and join Jubilee.
He declined to discuss

conditions.
The NEC decision will
be subjected to 470 delegates from the 47 counties,
who will make the final
decision, Nyaundi said.
He said the National
Delegates Conference will
meet twice this year.
The first meeting will
elect their leaders, and the
second will decide whether
to merge with Jubilee,
Nyaundi said.

Ruto had urged political parties formed on the

basis of tribe to join JP.
The Jubilee Party aims
to encourage political
competition based on ideas
and vision and not politics
based on where one comes
from, he said.
The DP spoke in Gusii
Stadium during the Rev
John Omangas installation
as assistant bishop, South
Nyanza ACK.

20 foreign roundup

the Star

Ugandan opposition says

vote wont be free or fair
Photo/REUTERS

hopeful: Leader of Ugandas leading opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change, Kizza Besigye speaks to the media at his
residence in the outskirts of Kampala on Tuesday. The Ugandans go to the polls today.
KAMPALA
The leading challenger to Ugandan President
Yoweri Museveni has said he has no confidence elections will be free or fair and accused
the police of increasing violence ahead of the
vote.
Kizza Besigye, a long-time opposition leader who has lost three previous elections, told
reporters on Tuesday the overwhelming enthusiasm for change after three decades of
Museveni rule has caused panic in the nochange camp.
That is why, yesterday, elements of the
Uganda police and other security agencies unleashed violence on our supporters and sabotaged our campaign in Kampala, he said.
The election has no chance of being free and
fair.
Besigye spoke a day after police stormed
his rally in the capital Kampala with tear-gas,

killing one person and injuring 19 others, and

briefly held him in custody.
Police also said that Besigyes supporters
had been on a rampage, looting and damaging property.
It was the worst violence since the campaign opened three months ago and heightened tensions before the vote today.
Also on Monday, a government spokesman
said all campaigning had been prohibited in
Kampalas central business district, where Besigyes supporters had gathered.
The election is expected to be one of the
toughest yet for Museveni, 71, a key Western
ally who came to power in 1986 after waging
a five-year guerrilla war.
Ugandan political watchers say voters have
grown impatient with high unemployment
and the poor state of the countrys schools
and health centres, giving fresh life to Musevenis challengers.

The United States last week supported calls

for a peaceful, transparent and credible vote.
Museveni, Besigye and a second major
challenger, former prime minister Amama
Mbabazi, were all staging final rallies on
Tuesday, a national holiday.
Besigye, who has been repeatedly detained
by police, has said he is a frequent target of
government intimidation tactics and has accused Museveni of rigging polls and using
state funds to prop up his own party, the National Resistance Movement.
He said he had no plans to change his campaign schedule after the violence on Monday.
This is nothing new, he said. We are in
this to overwhelm the unfreeness and the unfairness ... Well just continue fighting.
Officials say Besigye has simply been punished for engaging in illegal behaviour, such as
breaking rules on where and when campaign
activities were allowed.
Reuters

Thursday, February 18, 2016

China sends
missiles to
disputed island
TAIPEI
China has deployed an advanced
surface-to-air missile system to one
of the disputed islands it controls in
the South China Sea, Taiwan and US
officials said yesterday.
This ratcheted up tensions even as
US President Barack Obama urged
restraint in the region.
Taiwan Defence ministry spokesman Maj Gen David Lo told Reuters
yesterday the missile batteries had
been set up on Woody Island.
The island is part of the Paracels
chain, under Chinese control for
more than 40 years, but also claimed
by Taiwan and Vietnam.
A US defence official also confirmed the apparent deployment
of the missiles, first reported by Fox
News.
Chinas foreign minister said
reports by certain Western media should focus more on Chinas
building of lighthouses to improve
shipping safety in the region.
As for the limited and necessary
self-defence facilities that China has
built on islands and reefs we have
people stationed on, this is consistent with the right to self-protection
that China is entitled to under
international law so there should be
no question about it, Wang Yi told
reporters in Beijing.
The Chinese defence ministry told
Reuters in a statement that defence
facilities on relevant islands and
reefs had been in place for many
years, adding that the latest reports
about missile deployment were nothing but hype.
China claims most of the South
China Sea, through which more than
$5 trillion (Sh509 trillion) in global
trade passes every year.
It has been building runways and
other infrastructure on artificial
islands to bolster its title.
The United States has said it will
continue conducting freedom of
navigation patrols by ships and
aircraft to assure unimpeded passage
through the region, where Vietnam,
Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines
and Taiwan have rival claims.
Reuters

Senegal president will

Clinton pushes for critical black support
stick to seven-year term NEW YORK
in those states are white.
out strong levels of support of state beat Sanders by
Clinton met for more
less than a percentage
among African-American
DAKAR

Senegals President
Macky Sall said on Tuesday he will complete a
seven-year mandate that
runs until 2019, ditching
an election promise to cut
the term to five years.
Senegal is viewed as a
bulwark of democracy in
Africa
That pledge would have
brought it into line it with
former colonial power
France at a time when several other leaders across
the continent have sought
to extend their rule.
Such actions have often
triggered unrest, most
recently in Burundi, where
President Pierre Nkurunzizas decision to seek a

third term has triggered

months of violence, killing
more than 400 people.
The mandate currently
underway will be completed in 2019, Sall said
in a statement in French
on state television.
It followed a recommendation by the countrys
constitutional council.
He had told voters in
the West African country
in 2012 that he would
shorten his current term
by changing the constitution.
While the U-turn is not
expected to destabilise the
country, it could prove
politically costly for Sall,
who is widely expected to
seek a second term.
Reuters

US Democratic presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton
courted the critical black
vote on Tuesday as she met
with civil rights leaders in
New York and promised
in a speech to tackle very
real barriers confronting
African-Americans.
Clinton is seeking to
maintain her lead among
black voters over US
Senator Bernie Sanders of
Vermont, her rival for the
Democratic nomination for
the November 8 election to
succeed Democrat Barack
Obama, the first black US
President.
The Clinton campaign
said last week: It will be
very difficult, if not impossible, for a Democrat to
win the nomination with-

and Hispanic voters.

Clintons status as the
Democratic front-runner
was jolted this month
when the former secretary

point in Iowas caucuses

and lost to him by more
than 20 points in the New
Hampshire primary. More
than 90 percent of people

Photo/ReUTERS

fierce battle: US Representative Charles Rangel, New

York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Democratic candidate Hillary
Clinton and Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday.

than two hours on Tuesday

with a half-dozen civil
rights leaders at the New
York headquarters of the
National Urban League.
I thought that the
secretary demonstrated an
ease and familiarity with
many of the issues we
discussed this morning,
National Urban League
President Marc Morial said
afterward.
The Rev Al Sharpton
joked with Clinton in the
corridors afterward, suggesting to reporters he had
told her which candidate
he would endorse.
My lips are sealed!
Clinton, who did not
take any media questions,
replied with a smile.
Reuters

THE Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

21

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Radio Africa Group is a fast growing and dynamic leading media house. We are
looking for talented, energetic, ambitious and self motivated people keen on
taking an exciting career opportunity.:-

SALES POSITIONS
Sales Manager (Creative & Supplements)
Reporting to the National Print Manager, the incumbent will consistently
grow advertising revenues and meet the agreed benchmarks for creative and
supplements.

Regional Sales Managers

Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer the Regional Sales Managers will
implement a sales strategy that will ensure that the assigned region achieves
its revenue and collection targets for radio, print and distribution as well as
manage sales, operations and circulation team.

Sales Managers (Direct Sales)

The Radio Direct Sales Managers will report to the Group General Manager and
will be tasked with growing advertising revenue for various radio stations.

Sales Executives (Print, Radio, Television, Digital)

We have exciting and rewarding opportunities for aggressive and seasoned
Sales Executives. The successful candidates will be assigned a product in line
with their strengths and work experience.
A rewarding Commission Structure will be given for all sales positions in
addition to a monthly retainer as well as other benefits.

Freelance Sales Executive (Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri,

Nakuru, Machakos)
Are you greatly motivated by commission and would love a job that sets
targets and rewards you heavily on attainment? Well, the Freelance Sales
Executive position provides you a great environment to focus on what you
do best. This position offers an excellent commission structure and pays on
commission basis.

OPERATIONS POSITIONS
Circulations Operations Manager
The purpose of this position is to assist the Circulation Manager to implement
the circulation strategy in order to ensure increased market penetration by the
Star newspaper countrywide.

Deputy Production Manager

Reporting to the Factory Manager, the Deputy Production Manager will
support the Factory Manager in ensuring that the quality of the newspaper is
in line to our house style.

Printers
We are looking for seasoned printers to join our factory team. If you are looking
to take your printing career to the next level using a world class printing press
and equipment, here is your opportunity.

Security Officer
Reporting to the Group CEO, the Security Officer will be responsible for
ensuring security operations are conducted efficiently and effectively to
protect company staff, their guests and company assets besides ensuring that
the company standards, policies and investigations meet business requirement
as well as those for prosecutions when needed.
Refer to http://www.myjobsinkenya.com/radioafricagroup for detailed job
descriptions for each position.
Radio Africa Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will offer a
competitive package to the successful candidate. Applications clearly
indicating position reference and current remuneration should be addressed to
the Group Human Resources Manager via email: http://www.myjobsinkenya.
com/radioafricagroup so as to reach us by 20th February 2016 Please
include your daytime telephone number and names and contact addresses of
3 professional referees. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.
Disclaimer: Radio Africa does not charge a recruitment fee or work with any
persons or agencies which charge a recruitment fee.

22 COMMENT

the Star

Hcomment
THE STAR

Lion Place, Waiyaki Way

PO Box 74497-00200
Nairobi, Kenya

Why EACC must not

erode public trust

he Ethics and Anti-Corruption

Commissions entry into the
Josephine Kabura 102-point affidavit
saga must be done right or not at all.
The EACC yesterday said it would summon
Kabura and interrogate her on aspects of her
affidavit.
This is a lumbering and slow-witted
approach to matters of the utmost
investigative urgency.
Why clear former Devolution CS Anne
Waiguru prematurely, only to return to her
based on the say-so of a prime suspect in the
Sh791 million theft of NYS cash?
Kaburas affidavit pours scorn on two
strategic friends of any whistleblower the
media and the anti-Bank Fraud Unit
It is a patently inconsistent document, part
self-incrimination and part vengefulness.
The EACC should borrow a leaf from the
Judicial Service Commission when it finally
moved on Geoffrey Kiplagats affidavit against
Judge Philip Tunoi.
JSC investigators speedily obtained the
relevant mobile phone provider records,
including SMSs; visited the Central Bank
to ascertain US$2 million fits into a regular
briefcase; and visited the scene of the alleged
transaction, a petrol station.
EACC detectives ought to have gotten their
hands on every piece of mobile communication
mentioned in Kaburas affidavit by now and
visited the alleged scenes of crime. Summoning
her is not as much of a priority as verifying her
allegations.
The EACC must not erode the public trust in
its professionalism and effectiveness.

Quote of the day: It is better to keep your

mouth closed and let people think you
are a fool than to open it and remove all
doubt. American author Mark Twain
published the Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn on February 18, 1885

Thursday, February 18, 2016

WHAT AMBASSADOR
Godec GOT RIGHT
S
peaking at Iten
late last week, US
Ambassador Robert
Godec commented
on something, which must
keep many Kenyans awake
at night.
The point he made can be
summarised by posing this
question: To what respected
institutions may Kenyans
turn in 2017, in the event
of a disputed presidential
election?
The ambassador spoke
of the need for the Supreme
Court and the Independent
Electoral and Boundaries
Commission to regain the
confidence of the Kenyan
people. But he did not suggest any path by which such
confidence may be regained.
And that is the worrying
thing: it is by no means clear
that anyone else knows
how this confidence may be
restored.
Our tragic post-election
violence of 2007-08 is now
a 10-year old memory. And
what we most remember
is the houses burned to the
ground (in some cases with
the residents still inside
the rooms) and marauding
gangs of machete-wielding
young men, seeking out
those who were not on their
side of the political divide.
But the immediate cause
of this violence was that
those on the ODM political
party side did not believe
for a minute that their
candidate for the presidency,
Raila Odinga, had really lost
that election. And so they
poured out into the streets
in their tens of thousands,
seeking vengeance for a
stolen election and in the
process murdering and rap-

By Wycliffe Muga
We are at a point where
the IEBC and judiciary
are considered to have
no moral authority to be
independent arbiters in a
disputed presidential poll

ing and burning their way

through the city slums and
the rural villages.
This of course led to the
counterattacks by those
on President Mwai Kibakis
side of the political divide.
And thus we entered into
the unforgettable, self-reinforcing, downward spiral of
violence.
The only institution that
might have prevented this
from happening was an
independent electoral commission that was widely
respected and whose final
decision however bitter to
any one of the two sides
would be widely accepted.
But that was the election at
which Kenyans learned to
doubt the electoral commissioners. And although the
old commission has long
since been disbanded, even
now, roughly 50 per cent
of the country believes that
the 2013 elections were in
turn rigged by the current
lot of commissioners: the
Independent Electoral and
Boundaries Commission
which replaced the disbanded Electoral Commission of

Kenya.
Certainly, the primary
rival for the presidency in
that election, Raila, never
loses an opportunity to
remind his supporters that
they were robbed of their
legitimate victory.
But there was no violence,
in spite of that conviction that votes had been
stolen, because by 2013
we had something which
we had not had in 2007
a profoundly respected
Supreme Court which could
sit in judgement on such
weighty matters as whether
or not we had indeed had
a free and fair presidential
election.
Now, in case you have
not heard, outgoing Chief
Justice Willy Mutunga is
now repeating what Raila
said after the Supreme Court
turned down his claim to
have been rigged out in
the 2013 election. Barely a
day goes by, but the Chief
Justice speaks of the entire
judiciary as being riddled
with corruption despite his
attempts at reform. In his
latest statement, he insisted

Is he right? Tell us what YOU think.

email opinion@nairobistar.com

on a lifestyle audit of all

Supreme Court judges.
This is something we have
certainly not seen before.
Even in the era of retired
President Daniel Moi, it was
standard operating procedure for an incoming Chief
Justice to announce that he
would reform the judiciary.
It was a sure way to gain
some initial popularity. Dr
Mutunga, of course, followed in the footsteps of his
predecessors, and promised
reforms coming in. But he
has taken it much further:
as he prepares to leave office, he speaks of Kenya as
a bandit economy and
further speaks of corruption
in the judiciary as a cruel
fact of life.
So we are back to where
we were when in 2007. Back
then, Raila was challenged
by the Kibaki team to go to
court if he felt the election
had been a massive fraud,
which had denied him the
presidency. And he replied
more or less that he was
not such a fool as to take
this matter before a High
Court so thoroughly corrupt as to be incapable of
rendering fair judgement in
something this important.
That is what Ambassador Godec was essentially
reminding us: we are back at
a point where both our electoral commission and our
judiciary are considered by
a good part of the country
to have no moral authority
to serve as an independent
arbiter in the event of a disputed presidential election.
Wycliffe Muga is a political analyst and newspaper
editor.

I adore my family, Id climb the Himalayas for them

Im good at.........keeping promises and
modelling, which is my passion.
I am very bad at.. keeping time. I get
late for almost everything.

Jude Riziki

H
min
5
interview
BY Dennis Dibondo

The last book I enjoyed reading is...

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
It teaches that everything you do affects others positively or negatively.
The most surprising thing that happened to me is.. my little dream of
becoming a beauty queen came true.
A common misconception about me
is.. that I am a snob. I dont know in
what circumstance Id be egotistical.

One of my worst childhood fears

was. lizards and all reptiles. They
freak me out even now.
My ideal night out is deep in the
wild in a cool environment, music,
good food and wine after sunset with
someone who means the world to me.
In another life, Id have been. a
mermaid. Ive always wondered if its
only in the fairy tales.
The best age to be is... 22, when you
realise the reason youre alive.
If I was a politician I would.. make
simple promises I can easily fulfil.

The best part of my job is.. I get to

be who I am without faking it.
My greatest regret is. I sometimes
make irreversible decisions that affect
me later. Everyone has regrets.

My greatest achievement is. being

a role model to girls in Tharaka Nithi
and conserving the environment
through my Stay Green Campaign. I
aim at planting a million trees.

Historical figure I most identify

with. Wangari Maathai. I intend to
follow in her footsteps.

My greatest possession is.. my

family. Id climb the Himalayas for
them. With all their flaws I adore
them

Living person I most admire is.

Victoria Rubadiri. She is just simple
and her English is perfect.

If I was to die in five minutes my last

words would be... Im sorry mum for
being stubborn my whole life.

My lowest point of misery was

when I lost someone important to me.
Life took a different course.

Jude Riziki is an environmentalist and

a model. She represented Tharaka
Nithi in Miss World Kenya 2015.

Suggest an interviewee by sending their name, address, cellphone number and profession to 5minute@nairobistar.com

the Star

comment 23

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Public servants
merit equal pay
for equal work
By Anne Owuor

President Yoweri Museveni woos Ugandan voters.

Contracts a way to
end medics shortage
W
hen you have
spent more than
three decades empowering health
workers to serve communities
better in more than 30 countries, you learn to foster local
solutions to health problems.
At IntraHealth International,
we stand for and improve
health worker performance,
strengthen health systems,
harness technology and leverage partnerships.
Skilled personnel, particularly in the public health
sector, is the cornerstone of
Kenyas response to its health
needs, including the HIV-Aids
pandemic. To date, Kenyas
public health sector and nonprofit health organisations
are still battling HIV-Aids in
terms of prevention, treatment, care and support. This
is in addition to other priority
health services such as the rise
of non-communicable diseases
like cancer and lifestyle-related
illnesses. The health workers
we have are inadequate to
keep up with the requirements
for HIV programme planning,
management and implementation. According to the World
Health Organization, Kenya
is among 57 countries facing
health workforce crisises.
Inadequate numbers, poor
distribution, high rates of staff
attrition, staff workload, poor
working conditions and low
salaries are some factors influencing the perennial health
workforce problems.
A recent report by the
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists
Union indicates the number
of doctors in public health
facilities is 3,956, against the

By Meshack Ndolo

The hiring, management

and transition of contract
workers must be part
of a broader health
workforce policy and
planning framework
WHO's recommended 83,442
for 40 million Kenyans.
In 2006, with USAid support, IntraHealth hired 3,200
contract health workers for
public health facilities. There
was a shortage of 7,773 at the
time. Gaps to be filled were
of registered clinical officers,
registered nurses, enrolled
nurses, lab technologists, pharmacy technologists, voluntary
counselling and testing/HIV
testing and counselling service
providers.
The last two categories are
yet to be recognised in the
government's schemes of service. From 2009 to 2014, the
project hired 1,917 staff and
transitioned 970 into the government payroll. By 2014, the
USAid, through the Human
Resources for Health capacity
bridge project (2014-16) supported 837 contract workers.
Hiring contract health
workers, then transitioning
them to government payroll
is a model that can provide
solutions to health workforce
gaps in the counties. As of
December last year, the project
had placed 582 health workers
under the county governments.
Although VCT/HTC service
providers were not recognised
as government staffers and

could not be on payroll, their

role has been and remains
critical to HIV care and
treatment. In fact, it is their
work directly with clients,
which eventually generates the
HIV testing statistics quoted
and reported in surveys and
studies in Kenya. Together
with the Health ministry
and county governments, the
Public Service Commission
and the Transition Authority,
we developed HIV testing and
counselling service providers
transition advisory. This approach provided a mechanism
for the counties to transition
91 HTC service providers into
mainstream civil service under
existing schemes of service, by
identifying and profiling their
skills and education levels.
In our view, the recruitment,
management and transition of
contract health workers must
not simply meet quotas, but
be part of a broader health
workforce policy and planning framework. The changing
governance landscape ushered
by devolution and the moving
targets represented by the
HIV epidemic require creative
strategies to get health workers
where they are needed, while
building the county-level skills
and capacity to sustain them.

The constitution accords

every Kenyan the highest attainable standards of health
and places a fundamental duty
on the state to take legislative,
policy and other measures to
achieve progressive realisation of the rights set out under
Article 43, health included.
Schedule 4 of the constitution assigns the county governments the function of delivering essential health services
and the management of the
health workforce. The national
government is mandated with
pushing health policy, capacity
building, technical assistance
to the counties and oversight
of national referral health
facilities.
Immense work and thought
process have been undertaken
to develop the Kenya Health
Sector HR Strategy 2014-18. It
articulates the HRH strategic
dimensions in light of the devolved system of health management to support the goals
of the Kenya Health Sector
Strategic and Investment Plan
2012-17. Implemented to the
letter, Kenya would have an
adequate and equitably distributed health workforce; conducive environment that attracts
and retains health workforce;
responsive institutional framework that supports workforce
performance management; a
responsive human resource
development systems and
practices; strengthened human
resource planning in HRD and
adequate financial resources
mobilised to support investment in HRH.
Meshack Ndolo is IntraHealth
International country director
for Kenya.

Kenyas public sector has for a long time

been characterised by real or perceived gross
inequities and unfairness in its pay structure.
This is a result of parallel and overlapping
salary policies and guidelines, which have
propagated unprecedented wage differences.
In 2013, the Salaries and Remuneration
Commission sponsored a comparative study
on public-private sector wage differentials. The
study, conducted by the Kenya Institute for
Public Policy Research and Analysis, revealed
glaring wage disparities, both vertical and
horizontal, in the public sector.
The study further revealed the highest-paid
individual in the civil service earns a basic salary
98 times higher than the lowest-paid. A more
worrying finding was the sector-specific wage
differences. A typical example is the disparity
in the salaries of two or even three government
accountants, legal practitioners, health workers,
researchers or drivers working in separate
public institutions.
No wonder the question of equitable pay has
over the years dominated the public service,
with industrial unrest and low staff morale,
which result in poor services and output,
becoming the order of the day.
It is for this reason Kenya needs to conduct
pay reforms. Indeed, a key recommendation
from the survey emphasised that the
government should develop standardised
frameworks for determining terms and
conditions of employment across the entire
public sector. It also recommended that jobs of
the same value should have the same pay range,
in accordance with the principle of equal pay
for work of equal value, and target output
(given productivity) as an instrument to enhance
pay.
Central to this recommendation is the
principle of comparable worth. Given the
ills facing the Kenyan public sector wage
structures, there is need for attention. Rising
from job evaluation, comparable worth, in this
case, follows that jobs within the government
are rated, and points assigned according to
some characteristics. These include necessary
knowledge and skills, mental demands,
accountability and working conditions. Jobs
scoring the same will then be paid the same,
regardless of the pay differentials that might
prevail in the market.
Simply put, comparable worth emphasises
that professionals who do work of the
same value for an organisation should have
comparative compensation levels. Once firmly
entrenched, comparable worth of jobs will help
create a more favourable work environment
for career advancement and job satisfaction,
and link public sector pay to productivity
and output. This will lay a strong foundation
for a more vibrant economy. For a country
undergoing reconstruction and ambitiously
investing in massive development, within the
context of globalisation, it seems obvious that
Kenya needs to invest in its public servants to
drive development in general. This is the path
countries such as Germany, Japan, South Korea
and Taiwan took to become highly developed
economies.
For Kenya to be a high-income nation,
we must be able to compete on a regional
and global stage to attract investments and
trade. The foundation for such a high-income
economy lies in a globally competitive, creative
and innovative workforce. This is why we
need to bring about a level playing field to
free the talent that has been suppressed by pay
imbalances over the last five decades. This is
important if indeed we want to make our public
service more creative and productive. If we
truly believe our workers are the most valuable
resource, we should make every effort to pay
them in a way comparable to their true worth.
Anne Owuor is a commissioner at the SRC.

24

the Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

THE Star

25

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Hletters
Non-degree
Make the poor
holders should schools priority
not be MPs
President Uhuru Kenyatta
A degree should be a key
qualification for MPs.
The motion brought
forth in Parliament to
discuss the suitability of
education qualification of
some House members who
do not hold a degree is a
good move to ensure competence in leadership.
Its clear that a number
of waheshimiwa hold
diplomas, but some have
only form four certificates.
These are low standards
for individuals entrusted
with the responsibility of
making and changing laws
They represent Kenyans and deliberate on
and resolve problems in
the country. They also
determine the allocation
of national revenue and approve declarations of war
and extensions of state of
emergency.
Such responsibility
should be given to individuals of high intellect.
Failure to take into
account MPs education
background would be a
major and serious mistake.
This should have been
implemented years ago.
Karuri Nduati,
Kisumu

Uhuru should donate to

poor schools instead of
giant schools that have
few problems.

Cosmus Musembi

recently donated Sh1 million

to Bishop Ngandu Girls in
Nyeri county.
This is not good because
this is a developed school with
enough infrastructure.
There are pupils who learning under trees due to lack of
classrooms and high schools
which do not have laboratories for science practicals.
But the President gave a developed school a huge amount
of money.
To achieve equality in
education, we need to ensure
all students are taught in
classrooms and schools have
enough infrastructure.
Uhuru should donate to
poor schools instead of giant
schools that have few problems.
Cosmus Musembi,
Maseno University

WRITE TO US AT: THE STAR, LION PLACE, WAIYAKI WAY, NAIROBI

OR EMAIL TO letters@the-star.co.ke Fax 4447410.
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thestarkenya and Twitter@thestarkenya

PICTURE OF THE DAY

STAR POINTS
Photo/reuters

Sanzhulin Wawire,
Maseno University
The IEBC should
be clear on how
the registration kits
were distributed because
Cord leaders claim they
were distributed in favour
of Jubilee strongholds. Being clear on this issue will
prevent chaos that could
arise in next years election.
People use accusations
towards the IEBC to claim
fair or unfair elections. The
earlier IEBC solves this
problem, the better.

H
Pigging out: A pig is sacrificed to the ethnic Dong goddess Sa Sui during a ritual
to pray for good fortune at the beginning of the Lunar New Year in Liping county,
Guizhou Province, China, on Monday.

LETTER OF THE DAY

Africans are tired of greedy dictator regimes

The petition to
merge Okoa
Kenya, Boresha
Maisha, Pesa Mashinani and Punguza Mzigo
should be considered with
great care. Publishing a
bill that incorporates all
these proposed constitutional amendments wont
be easy. The proposal is
good as it will help avoid
a referendum and save
time and money.

olitics in Africa is mainly dominated by greed for power.

Furthermore, the military has
been used many times as a tool to
serve leaders interests.
Leaders hardly accept defeat.
Electoral campaigns are many
times chaotic, with parties throwing accusations at each other. They
intoxicate their followers.
This makes Africa the continent
with the highest number of crimes
against humanity cases at the ICC.
Those not supporting a regime are
imprisoned or forced into exile.
Ugandas opposition leader Kizza

Besigye was arrested. He has been

put behind bars 43 times since 2011
for attempting to remove President
Yoweri Museveni from power.
One person died on Monday
while others were injured as police
used teargas and shot in the air to
disperse crowds during an opposition rally.
Everyone has a right to campaign
freely without interference.
The Democratic Republic of
Congo opposition leader was also
arrested on allegations that he incited the public.
Leaders in power play around

with the constitution and change

some articles for their interests.
Museveni changed the Ugandan
constitution to have another term in
power.
Citizens are tired of dictator regimes. Citizens should elect eligible
leaders who will steer their countries
to democracy and economic growth.
We should make wise decisions at
the ballot. If we dont make wise
decisions, we will continue to suffer.
Africans should eject all dictators.
John Muli,
Maseno

Nancy Mbuya,
via email
It pains me to hear
that a child is ready
to donate his kidney
to get secondary school
fees. Kenyans across the
world were touched by the
boys story and offered to
raise money for his form
one fees so he could join
Kenyatta High School in
Mwatate. I urge the state
to sponsor needy students
for a prosperous nation.

Agola Eve,
Maseno University
Compiled by NICHOLAS WAMALWA

What is your advice to

Ugandans as they elect their
President and MPs today?

Hnew voices

Ugandans should vote

based on the age of the
candidates. They should
reject all leaders who
have previously served
in any political position.
Ugandans should elect
young lawmakers and an
energetic president with
fresh views and a good
manifesto.
RHODA EWOI,
Resident Trans Nzoia

Ugandans should avoid tribal

leaders and elect a person
who has the interests of all
citizens at heart. They should
not focus on political parties
but choose people who are
capable of fighting for their
rights, representing them and
making laws in accordance
with their needs. They should
choose married leaders.
SAMMY WAFULA,
Resident, Namanjalala

HSTAR COMMENT. Ugandans should elect a person who

has their interests at heart, irrespective of the political
parties the candidates subscribe to. They
should differentiate the party from the
persons values and skills. Ugandans
should also not be lured by money
given out during campaigns, because
many people vote based on the
money they receive from candidates.
This makes good, capable leaders lose
in elections because they dont have
money.
ENOCK RUTO,
Broker, Kitale

Ugandans should vote for

leaders based on their
speeches and promises. A
good developmental speech
shows how committed a
leader will be when elected.
Ugandans should not vote
for political parties because
some big parties might have
rejected good candidates. Let
them vote for personalities.
JACINTA NELIMA,
Hotelier, Kitale

Contact the public editor with criticisms of Star coverage at publiceditor@the-star.co.ke.

Ugandans should not elect

candidates based on how
rich they are, but they
should choose educated,
skilled, humble and generous people with good
speeches. They should
not be swayed by money.
Ugandans should also
ignore family background
and the tribe in the poll.
KEZIAH NJERI,
Resident, Trans Nzoia

26 starlife

the Star

HSTARLife

BACK IN THE RING:

Sauti Sol

Music Awards
madness with
us once again
BY SULUBU TUVA
The annual Africa music awards
madness starts on March 20 at
the Windhoek Country Club in
Namibia. Once again Kenyans
are in the thick of things, hoping,
for once, for some better luck at
the 2016 Kora All-Africa Music
Awards.
Unlike the majority of African
music awards that tend to focus
on the larger music industries of
Nigeria and South Africa, for example, the Kora selection panel has
gone out of their way to include
musicians from across the continent, meaning that musicians from
smaller nations like Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Djibouti, Eritrea and
Madagascar also get their chance

to compete. The pre-selection committee for Kora 2016 is made up of

Kora Artistic Director Alexandre
Asse, Yola Semedo (Angola), John
Max (Namibia), Alain Auriant
(Mauritius), Lamia Yattar (Ivory
Coast) and Fabrice Oye Bekale
(Gabon).
Winners from every category
will go home with the coveted
Kora trophies and cash prizes
of US$20,000 (Sh2,035,967)
or US$50,000 (Sh5,089,852),
and a mammoth $1,000,000
(Sh101,797,719) cheque for the
Best Artiste of the Continent, the
nominees for which have not yet
been revealed.
Besides the various regional
categories for male and female
performers, other continent-wide

HLiterary Postcard

Thursday, February 18, 2016

All the hot gossip

right from the heart
of Bollywood with
KAMAL KAUR
See Page 32

categories allow for a diverse

mix of artistes to go head to head
against one another.
These include categories for
spiritual and traditional music. In
the Best Album of the Year all
regions of the continent are represented, with Bebe Cool (Uganda)
up against West Africans Suzana
Lebrano (Cape Verde) and Tinariwen (Mali), The Soil (South Africa)
and EES (Namibia) from Southern
Africa and Cameroonian rapper
Jovi representing Central Africa.
No southern African acts are
in the running for Best African
Group, which will see Bracket
(Nigeria) compete against Double
Bangz (Sierra Leone), Sauti Sol
(Kenya), Toofan (Togo), X-Maleya
(Cameroon) and Bana C4 (DRC).
When it comes to nominees
for the Legendary Award, South
Africas Princess of Africa Yvonne
Chaka Chaka (South Africa) is
up against Teddy Afro (Ethiopia),
Amr Diab (Egypt), Coumba Gawlo
(Senegal), Werrason (DRC) and
P-Square (Nigeria).
Those who seek things Kenyan,
Victoria Kimani is the Female East
Africa division where her Cocolate
City-produced Two of Dem, faces
direct challenge from her compatriot Avril Nyamburas Hello Baby.
In the mix are Tanzanian songbird
Vanessa Mdee (Nobody But Me ft
KO), Rwandas Knowless Butera
(Peke Yangu), and Ugandan
songbirds Juliana Kanyomozi
(Woman) and Irene Ntale
(Kabugo).
Juliani is in the collaboration division with Emmanuel
Jal (South Sudan), Vanessa
Mdee (Tanzania) and Syssi
Managa (Congo.
The spirituals have Gloria
Muliros Mapito, contesting
against some African heavyweight like Rebecca Malope
(Thank You Jesus) and Lara
Georges (Love Nwatintin) of
Nigeria. So let the voting begin.
Get into the Kora music awards
website for details.

Hieronymus Bosch: A
true artistic genius
By Alla Tkachuk

HOW TO
LOOK
AT ART
To celebrate the 500th
anniversary of the death of
Hieronymus Bosch (14501516), the most important
Medieval artist from the
Netherlands, his town of
birth, Hertogenbosch, stages
an unparalleled homage.
Not only does it it host the
exhibition of the century
(from February 13 to May
8, the towns Noordbrabants
Museum borrows almost all
Boschs greatest works from
galleries across the world),
but through dance, music
and circus performances,
recreates the artists world on
its streets.
What has always
fascinated, baffled and

astonished us about Bosch is

his weirdly surreal imagery
those strange transformations
and inversions of scale and
function: flowers become
buildings, birds devouring
men. Born into a family
of painters, Borsch was a
respected citizen. Depicting
deadly sins gluttony and
lechery were the two he
painted the most Borsch
tried to deter his fellows
against sin and selfindulgence. He did not follow
the typical Flemish painting
fashion either. Drawing,
instead of painting, with
his brush, he is considered
a revolutionary artist of his
time. His contemporaries
understood and appreciated
his mad art that defied
imagination. And 500 years
on, so do we.
To buy prints of this and
other images, visit www.
artcollector.agency

The Garden of Earthly Delights,

detail, Hieronymus Bosch, 1504

Lessons in humility from outgoing Indonesian envoy

When I presented my credentials

to President Mwai Kibaki in 2012, he
told me to take a walk around Kenya: I did! Indeed, Kenya is a beautiful country: where else would you
find The Big Five elephant, rhino,
buffalo, lion, and leopard in one
place? Indonesian ambassador to
Kenya Sunu M Soemarno told us.
Close family, friends and colleagues
in the diplomatic circle had gathered at the ambassadors residence
in Nairobi during a farewell party organised for Ambassador Soemarno
who has completed his three and a
half years the standard duration
tour of duty in Kenya. It was an
emotional moment not only for the
ambassador, but also for the staff
at the embassy and Kenyans who
knew him. We learned from Ambassador Soemarno to smile when

youve got work! said Indonesia By Khainga OOkwemba

Embassy minister counsellor Yoshi
Iskandar.
Where casuistry
The guest of honour was famous Kenyan lawyer Stephen fails, African despots
Mwenesi who, I think, was dressed engineer violence to
in a sleeveless batik shirt (Indo- scuttle the process
nesian garment). In his unwritten or rig the polls.
keynote address, Mwenesi urged
Kenya to see Indonesia as a good
Mwenesi said.
friend with many areas of mutual
The advocate pleaded with the
interest: nation-building, education,
culture, agriculture, technology, ambassador to sign the memorantrade, tourism. Ambassador Soe- dum of understanding of Kenya Inmarno, Kenyans will certainly miss donesia Friends Association (Kifa). I
you! There is a lot that Kenya can will certainly miss Mama Luli Asliani
learn from Indonesia that I wish our Soemarno (the ambassadors
journalists should tell; about food spouse) whom I had requested
engineering, especially, rice and fish through the Embassys first secrefarming where rice fields are also tary Sunan Wasikhu Ali Asrori, to atbreeding grounds for fish. I wish we tend our literary evening on March
had more exchange programmes, 24 with a classical performance by

the angelic The Angklung all-female

musical troupe. PEN Kenya and
Goethe Institut will host Nigerian
writer-diplomat Ifeoma AkaboguChinwuba at the Institut next
month. I hope the embassy will still
bring The Angklung!
Ever with a disarming chuckle,
the dignified diplomat responded:
Kifa is an important instrument in
deepening cooperation between
the peoples of our two great countries. I will leave that to my successor, the new ambassador, I
have done my bit, Soemarno said.
Where else do you get that self-effacing character? It doth come expensive! Ugandan President Yoweri
Museveni in his memoir, Sowing the
Mustard Seed, tells of a story about
Tanzanian President Mwalimu Julius
Nyerere that demonstrates that

rare human virtue. In 1985 when

Mwalimu was preparing to hand
the leadership mantle to President
Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Museveni, whose
NRMs march to Kampala was now
unstoppable, went to see him and
pleaded with him to stay on one
more time and help in designing
the elusive East and Central African
Federation. Nyerere told Museveni
not to worry as he believed in his
successor.
That half explains why President
Musevenis name is on the ballot today as Ugandans vote in the general
election: to stay on one more time!
Where casuistry fails, African
politicians engineer violence to
scuttle the process or rig the polls.
I wish we could take a lesson from
the Indonesian diplomat: to believe
in others.

the Star

27

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Hsociety...
'Because You
Said So' thrills
at new home

photos/ PATRICK VIDIJA

Whos in and whos out

In the local hot spots

Actors Patricia Kihoro and Kevin Maina on stage.

Standard Chartered retail manager Neema Gitau with

principal architect Emmanuel Gitau.

If there is one event that is changing

the social scene, it is Because You Said
So.
Their 10th edition took place at its
new home, the Carnivore restaurant
last Friday. Despite the heavy traffic
leading to the venue, guests described Kuona Trust CEO Sylvia Gichia with Kimani Gichia.
the show as amazing, rib-cracking, definitely worth my money
among other niceties.
The brainchild of Jason Runo, BYSS
is Kenyas premiere improv comedy
show. It involves getting a regular cast
of seven improvisers to make up scenarios, skits and stories on the fly before a live audiences and has proved
to be a massive hit with having their
shows constantly sold out.
Present were DHL marketing and
communications
manager
Lilian
Kanyi, Standard Chartered retail manager Neema Gitau and Valley Star
Academy director Caroline Njiru.
Rehab Njeri, Michelle Njoroge and Jacqueline Njuguna.

Emcee Jason Runo.

spotted
Noreen Kidunduhu and Janet Othero.

Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat having a

meeting with two young people at Yaya
Centre coffee house opposite Artcaffe in
Nairobi yesterday at lunchtime. He was in
a checked coat and black trousers.

DHL marketing and communications

manager Lilian Kanyi with Kenya Pipeline
communications officer Belinda Muhindi.

Embu county agriculture executive Dr

Patrisio Njiru with Caroline Njiru.

photos/ courtesy

AAR
Insurance
Gala Night
Insurance firm AAR recently
hosted a gala dinner at the
Intercontinenal Hotel, Nairobi.
Feted were top in-house and
independent agents including
Collins Ochieng who emerged
Branch Manager of the Year
2015.
In attendance were the
companys senior management
led by Group CEO Geoffrey
Nzau and managing director
Caroline Munene.

Have a do? Contact society@the-star.co.ke

2
1

1. AAR managing director Caroline Munene with Branch Manager of the Year 2015 winner
Collins Ochieng. 2. John Paul, AAR Group CEO Geoffrey Nzau and Eliud Juma. 3. Milly
Lanogwa, Zakaria Harunani and Elizabeth Muli.

Reporting by Patrick Vidija

28 starlife

the Star

artist: Longinos Nangila explains one of his Untitled painting.

PLIGHT OF
REFUGEES
CAPTURED
IN ART
EXHIBITION

BY ENOS TECHE

What triggers millions of

people to abandon their homes,
to explore a world unknown?
Well, the answer comes down to
the social, political and economic
issues within the country. War
torn countries are never a
haven for economic or social
development. They are the main
source of migration and the
sudden rise of refugees.
The first exhibition of the
year at Circle Art Gallery, The
Freedom, Flight and Refugee
installation, explored these
personal and public issues
of freedom and movement.
The works by six established
contemporary artists in Kenya,
interrogates themes of political
and economic migration as
well as sensitive social issues
of sexual identity, dreams and
displacement. This exhibition
paints the plight of refugees and
Immigrants across the world.
Through paintings, installation
and photography, the artists
produced powerful pieces of art
reflecting on the plight of refuges
and Immigration.
No one chooses to be an
immigrant, they only make that
journey in search of a better
life for their families, one of

the artists Longinos Nangila

explains. The 30 year old
based at Kuona Trust, speaks
passionately about immigrants
through his untitled pieces. Via
image transfer, Nangila uses oil
on canvas and acrylics, capturing
the face of a man with a child
on his back with entry denied
plastered on his face. This depicts
the tragedy of denial based on
immigrants religion, race and
skin color. Nangilas art also
challenges the tight border
security that inhibits the flow
of immigrants who thus risk
becoming victims of human
trafficking.
Humanity is not defined by
borders, states a text in one
of his untitled painting. His art
is quite personal bourne by his
frustration while applying for
an Italian visa. Despite all the
challenges, Nangila is optimistic
of a world without boundaries
and discrimination.
Through his lens, Ray Piwi
tells the untold effects of
migration, focusing on the
daily livelihood of refugees
in the camps. Through iconic
images, he presents a series of
photographs of Kakuma refugee
camp, one of the biggest camps
in north eastern Kenya. Drawing
inspiration from social issues, his

Thursday, February 18, 2016

creative: Shabu Mwangis Hope at Dawn artwork.

boat ride: Home, Prisoners of Hope by Onyis Martin. The piece

contains black and white masks symbolising a journey of life and death.
images show the preferential
treatment accorded to some of
the longest staying refugees at the
camp.
The 24 year old photographer
argues that there is no freedom
in refugee camps as long as some
people are treated more superior
than others.
Through his interaction
with some of the refugees, his
images also explore the wider
contrast that occurs within the
camp where the refugees are
provided with everything but
are not allowed to interact with
the natives. One gets a sense of
loneliness from the pictures. The
untitled photographic prints
hence explain the need to create a
fair environment for all refugees
where they will live freely and
interact with everyone.
Jackie Karutis There are
worlds out there they never
told you involves a couple of
drawings and installation. The
drawings are mixed media pieces
that have images of crows, watch
towers and scientific symbols that
depict another world out there.
According the Karuti, this other
world could be in space, precise
to say, the re-imagining idea

of immigration to other places

which we usually dont think
exist.
We tend to hear stories of
African migrants drowning
while trying to get to Europe or
countries denying them entry.
Imagine if Africans were to go to
the space? she poses.
Having used the crow on top
of the watch tower, the artists
acknowledge the use of the bird
as a symbol of migration based
on its seasonal migration feature.
The Nairobi based artist
also explores themes of death,
sexuality, identity and urban
culture using installation, video
and performance art. My
use of installation was quite
experimental, Karuti admits. I
have used a projector pointing
down on a glass made pool with
paper made boats. The reflection
produces the world map and
the small boats depict a story
of immigrants drowning while
trying to reach Europe.
In her body of arts and
Installation, she allows people
to tap the boats to change
their direction, explaining
that people do not necessarily
migrate because of war or

economic hardship, but due to

curiosity and the need to further
education, marriage, career
growth among many other
things.
Fugitive at the Frontier
by Shabu Mwangi explores
human movement as a
result of instability within
their motherland. Insecurity,
persecutions and war are some
of the features the Mukuru slum
based artist looks at. Mwangi
presents a series of artwork that
depicts immigrants embarking on
the journey of sailing through the
night with hopes and aspiration
that dawn will bring them to the
land of their dreams.
With the use of natural
materials through his painting
Hope at Dawn, Mwangi
exhausts dark colors to show
the unknown world, the ocean,
overcrowding and the almost
sinking of the immigrants boat.
On the contrast is the few bright
colors portraying the unlimited
possibilities of successfully
reaching the intended destination.
The Wujukuu Art founder
draws strong inspiration from
the lives of the minority and
disadvantaged in the community
with hopes that society can
accept and eventually help them.
Papers of Freedom by Onyis
Martin explore the impacts
that visas and passports have
in the freedom of movement of
people. In the series, the artist
uses ink on water colour paper
with paintings of human form to
depict aspect of vulnerability.
Inspired by life, the Kuona
Trust based artist attempts to
explore the connection that exists
between a persons freedom in
his own country and a visitors
freedom. Sometimes people may
think they are free, until they
visit another country to notice
that they are prisoners of sort,
says Martin.
Sidney Mangongos Bantu
River attempts to show historical
movement of people across the
world. Themed migration, his
creative use of unusual materials
has created figurative art that
can only be interpreted and
appreciated by art enthusiasts.
The exhibition comes to an end
on March 13.

the Star

starlife 29

Thursday, February 18, 2016

In-depth
look at
the 88th
Academy
Awards
Nominees
This is the third part of our Oscars series Dreaming
of Gold, which looks at the nominations of the
88th Academy Awards through the eyes of a local
filmmaker and content creator who reveals the predictions, the
deserving and not so deserving

by sahil gada
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Jason
Leigh), Best Original Score (Ennio
Morricone) And Best Cinematography (Robert Richardson)
No ones better at raising hell
at the movies than Quentin
Tarantino. And no ones
creative motor runs hotter
than the man whose eighth
feature aims
to up the bet
on his own
previous
magnificent
seven. TaranCAROL
Oscar Nominations: Best
Actress (Cate Blanchett),
Best Supporting Actress
(Rooney Mara), Best Cinematography (Edward Lachman),
Best Adapted Screenplay
(Phyllis Nagy), Best Original
Score (Carter Burwell) And
Best Costume Design (Sandy
Powell)
Its the early 1950s, and
Manhattan shop girl Therese
Belivet (Rooney Mara) is on
the phone with Carol Aird
(Cate Blanchett), a married
socialite who arouses feelings
shy Therese cant articulate.
Ask me things, says Carol.
And the way Blanchett, an
actress of sublime beauty and
brilliance, caresses the word
things, opens up a universe
of unspoken desire. Thats a
specialty for director Todd
Haynes (Far From Heaven)
who reaches a new peak of film
artistry.
Camera virtuoso Edward
Lachman finds visual poetry in
the glasshouse eroticism that

envelops Carol and Therese,

an amateur photographer who
keeps framing Carol in her lens.
Blanchett, a dream walking in
Sandy Powells frocks, delivers
a master class in acting. And
Mara is flawless, revealing
Thereses sexual confusion as
she moves away from boyfriend
Richard (Jake Lacy) and
toward a seductive unknown
person. When the two women
drive cross-country, lost in each
other, Carols husband, Harge
(a fiercely fine Kyle Chandler),
shows his resentment by suing
for custody of their daughter.
Haynes commitment to
outcasts, then and now, makes
Carol a romantic spellbinder
that cuts deep. Its one of the
years very best films. Blanchett
and Mara should have Oscar
calling for giving heroic
dimensions to characters who
step out of the shadows and
into a harsh world that their
courage just might change. I
wanted to cheer. It is on the
level of Steve Jobs for me.
Star rating:

tino always swings for the fences.

He doesnt connect with every wild
pitch thrown here. At three hours,
this Western mystery can feel like too
much of a good thing. But Tarantino writes like a flamethrower. His
incendiary dialogue feels like profane
poetry.
If you know your Tarantino, you
also know there will be tricks of time
and unanticipated visitors blown in
by a raging tempest that recalls one
of Tarantinos favored horror shows,
John Carpenters The Thing. Still, its
the storm of hilarious and horrific
talk that rivets our attention.
Tarantino is a lot of things, but
politically correct isnt one of them.
Star rating:

BRIDGE OF SPIES
Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mark
Rylance), Best Original Screenplay (Matt Charman And Joel &
Ethan Coen), Best Original Score (Thomas Newman), Best Production Design (Adam Stockhausen, Bernhard Henrich And Rena
Deangelo) And Best Sound Mixing (Drew Kunin, Andy Nelson And
Gary Rydstrom)
You know a film is legendary when you hear the name Steven
Spielberg attached to it. Who doesnt like to cozy up to an oldschool spy thriller that knows how to build tension and tighten
it? Bridge of Spies may be a snooze to a certain crowd allergic to
historical drama, but its dished out by experts. Thats director
Steven Spielberg and star Tom Hanks, working from a Matt
Charman script polished by the Coen brothers, no less. Their
topic is the pivotal moment in the Cold War when an American
U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960 and
the US. It is meticulously crafted and poured into a gripping and
edgy screenplay. Bridge of Spies works best in the gray areas, when
Donovan sees Abel and Powers as patriots doing the bidding of
their countries. It resonates when Spielberg gives us action that
defines character, as in Donovans trip to Berlin. Is it the best work
from the director; its questionable, but a brilliant piece of work
nonetheless.
Star rating:

THE DANISH GIRL

Oscar Nominations: Best
Actor (Eddie Redmayne), Best
Supporting Actress (Alicia
Vikander), Best Production
Design (Eve Stewart &
Micheal Standish)
And Best Costume
Design (Paco
Delgado)
Caitlyn Jenner
is a transgender
icon. But nearly
a century ago,
Danish painter
Einar Wegener
became a pioneer in genderreassignment surgery. You
cant take your eyes off Eddie
Redmayne (The Theory of
Everything), who is flat-out
fabulous as Einar.

Director Tom Hooper dodges

the biopic clichs in Lucinda
Coxons script by pushing the
actors to live in the spaces
between words. Vikander does
wonders as a wife who stands
by her woman. And
Redmayne deserves
every superlative,
showing Lili
experimenting
with her new
feminine wiles.
The film never
gets too graphic
about sex or surgery.
What Hooper has
crafted is a work of probing
intelligence and passionate
heart. The received four
deserving Academy Awards
nominations.
Star rating:

THE BIG SHORT

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Adam Mckay),
Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale), Best Adapted Screenplay (Adam Mckay & Charles Randolph) And Best Editing (Hank
Corwin)
This is a chilling picture of brutal reality. It sounds like a horror
show: a doomsday epic about the 2008 financial crisis and the Wall
Street wolves who got rich off it. Gone were the homes, jobs and
savings of average Joes. But wait. As directed and written by Adam
McKay the dude behind the anchor man and other giddy hits
with Will Ferrell, his partner on the website Funny or Die The
Big Short is hunting bigger game. Id call it a Restoration comedy
for now, a farce fueled by rage against the machine that relentlessly
kills ethics and a hell of a hilarious time at the movies if youre up
for laughs that stick in your throat.Camera maestro Barry Ackroyd
helps McKay keep the plot in a perpetual spin. When it sails over
your head and it will McKay drops in celebrity explainers,
including Selena Gomez, Anthony Bourdain and Margot Robbie.
McKay dares greatly by couching his anger in a slapstick tragedy
that makes us wish we could see every character in it behind bars.
Does the risk pay off? Bet on it. This is one of the most groundbreaking works in the recent history of Hollywood cinema.
Star rating:

30 starlife

the Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

education

Photos/JEFF MANENO

modern: Classroom block built by Safaricom Foundation at Lolengelup in class: Safaricom Foundation trustee Janice Mwendameru with
Primary School.
class eight pupils Juliet Akwam (left) and Reginah Tunuke.

help for Turkana

school that took 31
years to sit kcpe

BY JOHN SILENCE

the region

The Kenya
National Bureau
of Statistics
says Turkana
has an 82 per
cent illiteracy
rate, the highest
in the country.
The survival
of Lorengelup
has been under
threat from the
nomadic nature
of the community,
insecurity and
extreme weather
conditions.

The descent into Lodwar, the

gateway to Turkana, is carpeted
by milk-white clouds, resembling
rows of giant candy floss, the
kind they serve you at the Village
Market in Nairobi on a lazy
Sunday afternoon. This image of
refreshing coolness is, however,
the very antithesis of conditions
on the ground: scorching
temperatures that keep rising as
the day progresses; oppressive
heat unmitigated by the slightest
breeze.
To many Kenyans, the name
Turkana conjures up images
of ramrod-straight shuka-clad
warrior-herdsmen, driving before
them herds of cattle in search of
pasture. This may have been the
exclusive image once upon a time.
But times change and although the
old way of life still predominates,
the young Turkana male is more
likely to be jean-clad and gunning
his motorbike down the road, in
the manner of any young man
from other Kenyan communities.
Lodwar is a dusty trading
centre that shows little signs of the
prosperity that visited Lokichar
90km south of Lodwar where
oil was discovered in 2012. With
a population of just under 50,000,
the infrastructure in Lodwar is
hardly adequate to support any
robust commerce. The locals
however admit that there has been
significant improvement over the
last few years and readily ascribe
this to the devolved system of
governance. The bridge on the
Turkwell River is inexplicably
one-way and vehicles queue up
on either side waiting their turn
to cross. It is a good thing that
traffic is sparse in this county.
Little in the way of food grows
here. A few straggling sorghum
plants battle bravely for survival.
Grains and vegetables are brought
in from Kitale, a driving distance
of 298km.
We are here to visit the pupils
and staff of Lorengelup Primary
School, which is located about
an hours drive to the east of
Lodwar. This public day mixed
primary school is in Lorengelup
constituency, Kerio division,

serene: Lorengelup pupils inside a newly-built classroom.

Turkana county. The road to our
destination is a sun-baked, wide,
sandy track and makes for fairly
fast and comfortable motoring.
Lorengelup Primary School has
had a chequered history. Started
in 1980, pupils have been learning
in the open air and under trees
and have been at the mercy of
the unrelenting sun, dust, spiders,
puff adders and the occasional
scorpion. For close to 30 years,
successive classes have braved the
elements (and vermin) in their
quest for an education. Toilet
facilities were non-existent and
the children had to go in the bush.
The year 2014, however, saw a
dramatic change in the fortunes
of the then fledgling institution
and the community around. The
Safaricom Foundation stepped
into the breach and funded the
construction and equipping of six
classrooms and 24 pit latrines at a
cost of Sh8.65 million.
According to a 2013 report by
the Kenya National Bureau of
Statistics, Turkana has an 82 per
cent illiteracy rate, the highest
in the country. The survival of
Lorengelup Primary School has
also been under threat from the
nomadic nature of the community,
frequent skirmishes and extreme
weather conditions that prompt
migration in search of food and
pasture.
Despite its existence since

1980, it was not until 2011

that the school registered its
first candidates for the Kenya
Certificate of Primary Education
exams. Simon Etyang, a teacher at
the school, recounts the early days
when learning was under trees
and in semi-permanent buildings
and is full of praise of the changes
wrought by the Safaricom
Foundation.
Jennifer Amungoi is the
schools principal. Meeting
initial resistance from a fiercely
patriarchal community as a
woman heading an institution,
she is now the respected head of
what is widely acknowledged to
be a progressive primary school.
She joined the institution in 2015
when enrollment stood at 90. The
full complement is currently 280
strong, 130 of whom are girls.
Jennifer laments that currently the
standard one class is unoccupied.
The World Food Programme
is no longer providing Early
Childhood Development meals
and this has been a major
incentive for parents to take their
children to school, she says.
Martin Karimi, communications
officer at WFP Nairobi, confirms
that this is indeed the case but
clarifies that the responsibility of
providing the ECD mid-morning
meal was duly handed over to
the county government at the
beginning of this term. The hand-

ing over of the responsibility of

providing meals for the ECD
centres was transferred to the
county governments not just
in Turkana but in more than
1,700 centres in the arid lands and
in Nairobi County.
Efforts to have the Turkana
county government comment on
this situation have proved fruitless. Jennifer hopes the situation
will change soon. The principal
informs us that the teachers strike
of 2015 took a heavy toll in the
pupils performance. Leading the
pack was Shadrack Ekenu who
scored 296 marks out of a possible
500. Eight out of 13 candidates
joined high school. The school
was top of the table in Kerio division. Learning commences at 6am
and ends at 9am. The current class
eight has 15 boys and five girls.
There are eight teachers in total,
five paid by the Teachers Service
Commission and three directly
employed by Board of Management, Jennifer says.
Although Lorengelup Primary
School is a day school, boys are
allowed to sleep in the classrooms
while the girls put up with wellwishers in the neighbouring community. Francis Ngasike Nabenyo
is a former pupil in this school
and, taking a cue from The Safaricom Foundation in extending
a helping hand, has volunteered
to take in five girl students as
boarders in his house. The father
of three and his wife take care
of the five girls as they do their
own. Nabenyos prayer is that the
government will step in and help
put up dorms and a fence. Other
households in the community are
housing between three and five
girls. It is obviously a strain on
their meagre resources and everyone echoes Nabenyos entreaties to
the authorities.
Janice Mwendameru from the
Safaricom Foundation explains
that Lorengelup Primary School
is a classic example of the type
of school that the foundation
supports. It is in a traditionally
marginalised area where the
children, especially girls, are more
often than not condemned to a life
of toil and early marriages, Janice
says.
Breaking this cycle gels perfectly
with the stated mission of the
foundation which is to build
communities and transform lives.
There is a sense of pride in the
community in having a model
school in the area. Hopes are high
that this school will be the genesis
of a better quality of life for the
pupils and, by extension, for the
communities from which they
come.

the Star

starlife 31

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Scholarships Watch
COMPILED BY FRANK MUCHUGU

equipped: Kitui county Trade and ICT chief officer Gladys Kivoto assists Simon Peter, a student at Kathivo
Youth Polytechnic in Kitui West, when she delivered 16 computers to the facility.

Kitui county funds

ICT centres in 15
polytechnics
BY MUSEMBI NZENGU
The Kitui county government has embarked on a plan
to rejuvenate 15 youth polytechnics by introducing an
additional course in computer packages.
The county government is spending Sh26. 4 million
to equip the 15 polytechnics with computers. Already,
15 ICT centres, each in the elected polytechnics,
have been constructed with funding from the county
government of Kitui, said the chief officer for ICT and
Trade, Gladys Kivoto.
She said by the end of March, all the 15 ICT centres
will have received 16 computers, and associated
accessories. This is a pilot project and if it works, it
will be rolled out in all the polytechnics in future, she
said.
Kivoto was speaking last Tuesday at Kathivo Youth
Polytechnic in Kitui West Constituency where she
delivered computers to the facility. She said other
institutions that have received computers include Waita,
Ikuuni, Kyatune and Ithiani polytechnics.
Kivoto said the objective of the programme is
to attract learners interested in learning computer

packages. She said students taking other courses like

masonry, dressmaking and carpentry will take up the
new computer courses. Our polytechnics will no
longer be the ordinary youth polytechnics we are used
to. We are introducing computer studies as a value
addition. We want to attract more learners to the
polytechnics, said Kivoto.
We also expect local secondary school students to
take up computer courses during school holidays, she
said.
She added that the ICT centres will also come in
handy for people who are doing business with the
government. We are adopting e-procurement and
merchants must be e-compliant with computer skills,
Kivoto said.
The computers were handed over to the polytechnic
manager Liza Martha in the presence of the Kitui West
sub-county administrator Penninah Nzile and students.
I am hopeful that the availability of computers
will attract more learners. Our enrollment has of late
nosedived, Martha said.
Speaking on behalf of fellow students, Esther
Ngumbau said: This donation gives every student the
impetus to study hard. We will not let our benefactors
down, pledged Ngumbau.
Local resident Annah Mwanzia said the idea to equip
polytechnics with computers is most welcome. It is
unbelievable that computer studies will be taken right
at our village. The leaders we have here today had their
first interface with computers at the university.

Rudisha donates books to former school

BY EDWIN NYARANGI

*****
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship
Programme
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number
of scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to
outstanding students from developing countries who have
no other means of financing their studies. Scholarships are
awarded on a 50 per cent grant : 50 per cent loan basis
through a competitive application process once a year.
The foundation gives priority to requests for Masters
level courses but is willing to consider applications for PhD
programmes. Applications for short-term courses are not
considered. The foundation assists students with tuition fees
and living expenses only. The cost of travel is not included in
AKF scholarships. Half of the scholarship amount is considered
as a loan, which must be reimbursed with an annual service
charge of five per cent. A guarantor is required to co-sign the
loan agreement.
Completed applications should be returned to the agency
from which the form was obtained. They should not be sent to
Geneva. The deadline for submission of applications is March
31, 2016, although in certain countries internal deadlines may
be earlier. Applicants are advised to contact the local offices
for internal deadline dates and requirements as these may
vary from country to country.
*****

orld 800 metres race

champion David Rudisha
on Monday donated textbooks worth Sh110,000
to Oltanki Secondary School in
Trans Mara West sub county in
Narok county.
Rudisha said he is going to liaise
with his friends around the globe
to support Oltanki Primary School,
where he undertook his basic education. Oltanki secondary is an offshoot of the school.
Rudisha encouraged students at
the two institutions to work hard,
reminding them that he served as the
captain at the school where he nurtured his athletics talent.
During my time at Kilgoris High
School, I balanced between my studies and athletics talent. I was able to
win the World Junior title In China
while in form two, the World Junior
title in Burkina Faso while in form
three and the World Junior title in
Ethiopia while in form four, Rudisha said.
Rudisha, whose father Daniel
Rudisha was a silver medallist in
the Mexico City 400 Metres Relay
in 1968 and also the headmaster of

Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship

Programme
The Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Programme
sponsors students from developing countries to pursue
one of the preferred and partner masters programmes at
participating universities around the world.
JJ/WBGSP scholars must commit to return home upon
graduation in order to use their enhanced knowledge and skills
towards their communitys, countrys, or regions development.
The scholarship is fully funded and provides the following
benefits for the recipient only: tuition for the graduate
programme, monthly subsistence allowance, economy class
air travel, and basic medical insurance.
All JJ/WBGSP partner and preferred masters programmes
are two years or less and the scholarship covers the duration
of the programme.
For scholarships to one of the preferred masters
programmes, you need to apply to the university to be
accepted into the programme and also apply directly to JJ/
WBGSP for the scholarship. The deadline for JJ/WBGSP
scholarship applications for the academic year 2016-17 is
March 10, 2016.
For scholarships to one of the partner masters programmes,
please first apply to at least one of the partner university
masters programmes. The university will send the JJ/WBGSP
Secretariat a short list of eligible candidates who have been
accepted by the partner programme, and the JJ/WBGSP
Steering Committee will award scholarships to a subset of the
short-listed applicants.

Monash International Merit Scholarships

Monash University is offering a number of scholarship
programmes including the Monash University International
Merit Scholarships for outstanding international students who
wish to pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at
Monash University, Australia.
International students from all countries with strategic
priorities for Monash will be given preference. Any eligible fulltime undergraduate or postgraduate (coursework) programme
offered at the University. A$10,000 (Sh720,000) for a full time
study load (48 credit points) paid per year until the minimum
number of points for your degree are completed. Before
applying for this scholarship, you must have received a full
Monash course offer with no conditions. You must submit a
separate application form for this scholarship by the deadline.
The next deadlines are March 15, April 15 and June 12.

GIVING BACK: World 800 metres champion David Rudisha at Oltanki

Secondary School when he donated books worth Sh110,000.
the school in the early 1990s, asked
the students to work hard in class
besides pursuing their talents.
My father juggled the roles of being a teacher and also an athlete in
the 1960s when they ran purely as a
sign of patriotism to the country and
it is a challenge to us to also excel in
our studies and also in our sporting

activities, Rudisha said.

The ceremony was also attended
by Trans Mara West sub county education officer Samuel Sankale, sub
county TSC staffing officer Lenny
Lanyasunya, school principal Florence Kayo and the school board of
management chairman Leposo ole
Mutii.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme at UK

Universities
Commonwealth Scholarships for Masters study in the UK are
offered for citizens of developing Commonwealth countries
who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK . These
scholarships do not cover undergraduate courses, PhD study,
or any pre-sessional English language teaching. Shared
Scholarships are jointly funded by the CSC and participating
UK universities. Each scholarship provides approved tuition and
examination fees, approved airfare from your home country
to the UK and return at the end of your award, stipend, thesis
grant, warm clothing allowance, study travel grant, and excess
baggage allowance.
All applications must be submitted electronically by April 1.

32 starlife

the Star

H
HJust
JustBollywood
Bollywood

POST BREAKUP
WITH VIRAT,
ANUSHKA
HANGS OUT
WITH THIS guy

Thursday, February 18, 2016

All the hot gossip

right from the heart
of movieland with
KAMAL KAUR

Krishna
Raj Kapoor
hospitalised,
but stable

ts not easy dealing with

emotions after a break-up, leave
alone fighting the offender in a
bout. But Anushka Sharma, who
reportedly split from cricketer Virat
Kohli, seems to be doing just that.
Sultans leading lady is back with
inspiring lessons on how to fight
like a girl.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and
produced by Yash Raj Films, Sultan
opens on Eid 2016, the same time
as Shah Rukh Khans Raees.
The 27-year-old actress, who
tweeted a video of a fight sequence
from Sultan, is also enjoying the
little things in life and posted
a picture of herself chilling out
with her dog Dude.
Virat on the other hand, has
unfollowed Anushka on both
Instagram and Twitter. The
celebs reportedly started dating
in 2013, when they met while
filming a commercial.
You know its over when they
unfriend you on social media,
isnt it?

AISHWARIYA RAI
BACHCHAN
PRAYS AT THE
GOLDEN TEMPLE
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is filming
Sarbjit in Amritsar, looked every bit the
Punjabi belle as she offered prayers
at the citys Golden Temple. Ash
plays Dalbir Singh, sister of
Sarabjit Singh, the Indian citizen
who died in a Pakistani jail in the
Omung-Kumar-directed biopic.
Scenes for the biopic were shot inside
the langar or community kitchen and featured
the actress cleaning utensils, cleaning floor and
cooking vegetables.
Ash, 42, looked lovely in minimal make-up and a mauve
salwar kameez.
Accompanied by her three-year-old daughter Aaradhya
and her mother Vrinda, the three of them were spotted
at the Mumbai Airport on February 11.
Dalbir Kaur earlier told PTI, I hope the biopic will
highlight the plight of Indian prisoners lodged in
various jails in Pakistan. Sarbjit, which opens on
May 20, will be shot in various cities of Punjab
including Amritsar, Malerkotla and Patiala.

Krishna Raj Kapoor, wife of

the late legend Raj Kapoor
was recently hospitalized
in Mumbai following age
related health issues.
During the recent launch
of his upcoming release
Kapoor & Sons, her son veteran actor Rishi Kapoor had
to immediately leave after
receiving a phonecall and
rush to the Breach Candy
Hospital where his mother
was admitted.
Her son Randhir Kapoor
clarified that though she is
still hospitalized, her condition is stable and will be
discharged soon.
While Krishna Raj
Kapoors sons Randhir
Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor,
her daughter Reema Jain
and daughter-in-law Neetu
have been frequent visitors,
granddaughter Kareena
Kapoor Khan only paid
a visit after wrapping
up her hectic shoot
commitments.

DID YOU
KNOW?
SRK was not the first
choice for Dilwale
Dulhania Le Jayenge
If Ali Khan was the original
choice for Shah Rukh
Khans role in Dilwale
Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Even Tom Cruise was
considered for the role of
Raj Malhotra.

the Star

33

Thursday, February 18, 2016

H
word is...

star shots
Leonardo DiCaprio invites Joey
Essexs ex-girlfriend to his London
hotel suite
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio
reportedly invited an ex-girlfriend of
Joey Essex back to his hotel suite.
The Revenant actor flew into
London ahead of Sunday nights
Bafta Awards and still
celebrating his win, enjoyed
another night out in the
capital on Monday night.
Following an evening
at Chiltern Firehouse,
Joeys stunning blonde
model ex Roxy
Horner, 24, and the
41-year-old are
believed to have
gone back to
his hotel suite
at 2am.
Roxy, who
also once dated singer
Taio Cruz back in 2011, and her
friends were pictured being escorted
by the actors security to the Rosewood
Hotel, while he travelled in a separate
car, according to The Sun.
A source told the newspaper: Leo
and Roxy met a while ago in LA and
he was taken with her. When he
got to London for the Baftas he
immediately said they should hang
out. When they finally met last night
the sparks were flying. They were
hooking up throughout the night.

Aqua Blu relauched

with grand party

Your daily gossip

fix with Showbiz
Columnist
Grace Kerongo

'Morgan
Heritage's
peetah is
a dead
beat dad'

WHILE reggae legends Morgan Heritage were still in a jubilant mood after
winning the Grammy Award for Best
Reggae Album at this years edition
held on Monday in Los Angeles, the
groups lead singer Peetah Morgan
has been put on the spotlight allegedly for being a dead beat dad.
The mother of two of Morgans
children Pashon Minott took to Instagram to lament the lack of support
from Morgan.
She wrote in part: Congrats to you
#MorganHeritage! Job well done!
Youre great singers who work hard
and no one can deny that. Now please
talk some sense into your lead singer
#PeetahMorgan in being a father to his
daughters Destiny and Journey who
have not seen him in nine years. Like I
said before, he doesnt know how they
eat or if they are still alive...
Speaking with Music News soon
after the accusations, Peetah responded: Its alright. She knows how
to contact me.
The Jamaican group, who recently declared their love for Kenya by saying
they would soon become her citizens,
won for their album, Strictly Roots,
beating other heavyweights including

Rocky Dawuni, Jah Cure,

Barrington Levy and
Luciano.
Thank you to
all of our fans and
team that played
a part of Strictly
Roots Album. WE
WONYES
RASTA, they wrote on their
social media pages.
Kenyan promoter Buddha Blaze
tweeted: Congratulations to @
MorganHeritage for bringing
the 1st #Grammy to Kenya @
Nairobi, Kenya.

Lady
Jay Dee
officially
divorced
from hubby

ONE of Nairobis best entertainment spots Aqua Blu

Club & Lounge, located in Westlands, Nairobi, reopened Photos/moses mwangi & ENOS TECHE
its doors on Friday with a grand party.
The event was marked with live performances by
Nigerian artistes L.A.X and Merit (who released his new
music video that evening) and Kenyas Kagwe Mungai.
The party was emceed by media personality-cum-singer
Amina Abdi, with DJ Hassan behind the decks. L.A.X
performed some of his songs including Caro (featuring
Wiz Kid) and Ginger.
Earlier on Thursday, a pre-launch party titled the Blue
Affair was hosted at the newly renovated club where DJ
Protege provided entertainment.

Amina Abdi with Fena

DJ Hassan

Kagwe Mungai
with a fan

C2K and Ndegz

L.A.X performing

Ruth Chiwo and

Fiona Kabugi

DJ

Got a tip for us? email it to us on: grace.kerongo@the-star.co.ke

Risper Faith

After a long period of

pull and push, Tanzanian
celebrity couple Lady Jay
Dee and Gardner Habash have officially been
divorced.
The Bongo diva, whose
real name is Judith
Wambura Mbibo, got her
divorce from Gardner at
Manzese court in Sinza,
Dar es Salaam. The two
walked away with their
official divorce papers last
week, free to move on
with their lives.
The couple separated
two years ago after almost
12 years of a tumultuous marriage. The singer
famed for hits like Yahaya
and Distance accused her
ex-husband of being a serial cheater.
In a past interview with
Word Is, Jay dee revealed,
My marriage didnt
work out. I was not happy
at all and thats why I
decided not to carry on.
My husband was cheating
on me and had become
a drunkard, while I was
working so hard and giving the relationship all that
I was able to. I am just
happy and thank God that
I dont have children with
him.
Gardner, who is a
veteran radio presenter in
Tanzania, has kept mum
about the allegations.

Additional reporting: Elly Gitau

34 LEISURE

the Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Star LEISURE

CALVIN & HOBBES

\
t kbc
screen and heard

GOOD MORNING KENYA MON-THUR 5.30AM - 9AM

5:00 Bbc

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6:00
9.00
10.00

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7:00
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8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
12:00

11.00
12.00
1.00
1.30
2.00

Gear Up
Good Morning Kenya
Layd Back
DocumentaryWomen Of The World
Hypochondriac
Afrssion
Lunchtime News
Business Defined
Abled Differently

Club 1 Extra- Live

Great Debaters
Taarifa
Artitude
Beats Of Love
Channel 1 News
Top Mashariki
Cctv News
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garfield

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Fri to Thu: 10.15am, 12.30pm,
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to Thu: 10.00pm
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to Thu: 10.15am, 12.30PM,
3.00pm, 5.30pm, 7.45pm,
10.00pm

NYALI CINEMAX CINEMAGUIDE

Fitoor 6.30PM, 9.15pm
How To Be Sinlge 6.45pm
The Finest Hours 3D 6.45pm AIRLIFT 2.30pm, 9.15PM
Deadpool 9.00pm

36 CLASSIFIED

THE Star

Thursday, February 18, 2016

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38 LOCAL

THE Star

Hbusiness

UP TO DATE, ACCURATE BUSINESS INFORMATION

NEWS YOU CAN USE, EVERY DAY

Chinas slowdown a threat

to local construction jobs

Photo/ enos teche

BY LOLA OKULO
A prolonged slowdown in Chinas
economy could hurt Kenyas construction sector, analysts at Deloitte
have warned.
China is the largest single financier of ongoing infrastructure
projects in East Africa according
to the African Construction Trends
Report 2015 released by the consultancy firm yesterday, putting Kenya
and its regional peers at vulnerable
position should the Asian giants
economy continue to falter.
Kenya and Ethiopia are the biggest beneficiaries of the Chinese
funds, having the highest number
of upcoming infrastructure projects
with 20 and 12 respectively out of
the 61 ongoing projects in East Africa. The regions projects rose to 61
in 2015 from 51 in 2014.
The report shows that international development finance institutions were the largest financiers of
infrastructure projects overtaking
African governments.
China is the largest financing
country although it is not as active
in West Africa or Southern Africa,
said Deloittes partner for capital
projects Mark Smith.
He said China funds eight per
cent of East Africas major projects
and builds 21 per cent of them.
The slowdown of Chinese economy will have an effect on Kenyas
construction...however we are seeing new investors coming in like in
the last one or two years interest by
US is increasingly growing, said
Deloittes partner for infrastructure
and capital projects Gabriel Ouko.
The Chinese economy grew by

report: Deloitte Partner for corporate projects Mark Smith at the release of the findings yesterday.
6.9 per cent in 2015, its slowest
rate since 1990 sparking fears of an
economic slowdown. The slowing
economy has caused some factories
to close and companies have downsized operations across China.
The study covered infrastructure
projects worth more than $50 million (Sh5 billion) which had broken
ground by June last year.
In 2015, the total value of projects
under construction in Africa grew
by 15 per cent from $325 bil-

Thursday, February 18, 2016

lion (Sh33 trillion) to $375 billion

(Sh38.17 trillion).
The total value of infrastructure
projects in East Africa last year
however declined to $57.5 billion (Sh5.85 trillion) compared to
2014s $60.7 billion (Sh6.18 trillion), due to construction of smallvalue projects.
Last November, Chinese engineering group China WuYi announced
it won four tenders totalling Sh10
billion for building small roads and

a mall in Meru.
In May 2015, China Wuyi said it
had won $73.2 million (Sh7.45 billion) worth of contracts for the construction of roads in Kenya, Uganda
and Ethiopia.
Sino Hydro Tianjin Engineering is
undertaking expansion of the Outer
Ring Road in Nairobi, Kenya at a
cost of US$82m (Sh8.3 billion).
China Road and Bridge Company
is the lead contractor for the Sh327
billion Standard Gauge Railway.

Ciano to
face ICPAKS
disciplinary
commitee
BY RICHARD MUNGAI
UCHUMIS former chief
executive Jonathan Ciano
will face the the Institute of Certified Public
Accountants of Kenyas
disciplinary committee
to answer to claims of
accounting malpractices during his stay at the
retailer, the institute said
yesterday.
ICPAK chairman Fernandes Barasa said they are
waiting for the board of
Uchumi to adopt the draft
forensic report which
exposed malpractices by
the retail chains former
management.
We received the draft
forensic report from the
board of Uchumi. But we
have asked them to adopt
the report because ICPAK
cannot take action on
Ciano using a draft report, he said yesterday on
the sidelines of ICPAKs
24th economic symposium
which will end tomorow.
Ironically Ciano will
face the disciplinary committee which he chaired
before he was kicked
out from the retailer and
subsequently asked to step
down by ICPAK.
Uchumi, which is facing financial problems,
contracted KPMG to do
forensic investigations
into the conduct of Ciano
and other managers after
claims that they had covered up losses at the firm.

Kenya eyeing Middle East for infrastructure fund CS Rotich

by MARTIN MWITA
KENYA is eyeing the oil-rich
Middle East countries to raise
cash for infrastructure development, National Treasury CS
Henry Rotich said yesterday.
He said the ministry is in the
process of developing an institutional and regulatory framework,
that will help growth of Sharia
compliant finance in Kenya.
The government is also seeking to become a member of the
Islamic Development Bank, in

order to leverage on the opportunities enjoyed by the member

states, Rotich said.
The move will see Kenya tap
into the global Sharia compliant
assets currently pegged above $2
trillion (Sh203.39 trillion), and
the fast growing Sukuk (Islamic
bonds)market, to finance airports,
power plants, dams and highways,
according to the CS.
This is likely to be a game
changer in the countrys infrastructure financing models currently heavily tilted towards Asia,

mainly China.
The increasing attention on
Islamic finance is testament to
the emerging realisation of the
sustainability and attractiveness of
Islamic finance, as an alternative
financing model in the post global
financial crisis world, Rotich
said.
The government is banking on
the financial sector to stimulate
increase in investment and savings
from both domestic and international resources, with a 10 per
cent annual average economic

growth target.
Treasury is currently working
on the establishment of the Nairobi International Financial Centre,
to position Kenya as a regional
financial hub and an international
financial centre.
The government is also developing a Capital Market Master plan
to bolster resource mobilisation to
finance its vision 2030 objectives.
These flagship projects will
however only succeed if we are
able to leverage the opportunities available to us from Islamic

finance, Rotich said.

He spoke during the East Africa
Islamic finance summit in Nairobi.
Among major breakthroughs
will be the issuance of the Sukuk
bond in Kenya to fund infrastructure projects.
Last week, Treasury presented
a medium-term debt strategy targeting to appropriate the mix of
external and domestic borrowing.
Kenya currently relies on
conventional financing which
is associated with high interests
rates and strict conditions.

THE Star

local 39

Thursday, February 18, 2016

H
financial

NSE BIGGEST MOVERS

t FOREX Exchange Rates

NSE BIGGEST LOSERS

CURRENCY

MEAN

BUY

SELL

US DOLLAR

101.7028

101.8971

101.7999

STG POUND

145.6050

145.9300

145.7675

EURO

113.4389

113.6861

113.5625

SA RAND

6.4550

6.4698

6.4624

Price

Change(%)

KES / USH

33.4455

33.6077

33.5266

STANDARD GROUP

29.00

+9.43

UMEME LIMITED

18.00

-10.00

KES / TSH

21.4236

21.5628

21.4932

CFC STANBIC

79.50

+8.90

ATLAS DEVELOPMENT

1.50

-6.25

UAE DIRHAM

27.6863

27.7452

27.7157

LONGHORN KENYA

5.10

+7.37

NIC BANK

38.75

-6.06

JAPANESE YEN (100) 89.3384

89.5326

89.4355

E.A PORTLAND

53.00

+6.00

OLYMPIA CAPITAL

4.00

-5.88

INDIAN RUPEE

1.4856

1.4889

1.4872

CAR & GENERAL

37.50

+5.63

SAMEER AFRICA

3.55

-4.05

CHINESE YUAN

15.6024

15.6394

15.6209

Tea export earnings likely

to drop in 2016 AFFA
Kenya sees tea export
earnings of Sh115 to Sh120
billion this year depending
on the exchange rate, after a
23 per cent rise in earnings
to Sh125.25 billion in 2015,
the agriculture industry
regulator said yesterday.
Kenya is the worlds
leading exporter of black
tea and the commodity is
a major foreign exchange
earner for East Africas biggest economy.
The Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Authority said

total output fell 10 per cent

to 399.21 million kilos in
2015.
The impressive earnings
resulted from improved
prices during the year,
which registered an average
of $2.98 per kg compared
to $2.16 recorded during
the corresponding period
of 2014, Alfred Busolo,
AFFAs acting director general told a news conference,
adding average price per
kilo rose 38 per cent.
Reuters

Kenya Airways to avoid

Douala route in March
BY STAR REPORTER
NATIONAL carrier Kenya Airways has cancelled all
flights to Douala, Cameroon in March due to airport
closure.
The Douala International Airport will be closed for
repairs between March 1 and 21, according to a press
statement.
Kenya Airways flies six times weekly to the Central
African city. The notice said that the Monday, Wednesday,
Friday and Sunday flights will be direct to Yaound.
Flights scheduled to fly on Tuesdays and Saturdays to
Douala via Bangui in Central Africa Republic will terminate at Bangui.

aly khans
highlights

More info at
www.rich.co.ke

LOSERS

WINNERS
Price

Change(%)

Kenyas tough visa rules

hurting tourism report

Photo/ FILE

BY RICHARD MUNGAI
KENYA is modestly ranked in the Africa Visa Openness Index, owing to strict
travel requirements for traders and
tourists from other countries within the
continent.
The index by the African Development Bank gave the country a score of
0.77 points, placing it position 16 out
of 52.
AfDB measured the visa openness on
a scale of zero to one.
A lower score indicates the country
is not visa-open and visitors need a visa
before they travel.
Tanzania was placed at position 17
and with a score of 0.64 points.
Uganda was the best performer in
East Africa at position three with a
score of 0.86 points, which was on account of more accessible borders to citizens from other countries in Africa.
Rwanda and Burundi followed each
other at position nine and 11 scoring
0.82 and 0.81 points repectively.
Seychelles was first with a clean score
of one point because it does not require
a visa from African visitors.
Mali took the second place with a
score of 0.87 points for offering African
visitors visa on arrival.

restrictions: Trucks parked at the Kenya Tanzania border in Namanga.

Other countries that are easier to
travel to include Cape Verde, Togo,
Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Comoros,
Madagascar, Somali and Djibouti.
Visas are a security measure to control the entry and duration of the stay
of people coming into a country or to
limit a visitors activities, generate revenue or show reciprocity to match the
treatment other countries give to their

citizens.
The index placed Nigeria and South
Africa at position 25 and 35, respectively, highlighting deeper barriers in
crossing their borders.
It shows the top most inaccessible
countries in Africa include South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Angola,
Gabon, Libya, Egypt and Equatorial
Guinea.

KQ boss comments on turnaround lift stock

The Nairobi All Share
closed 0.35 points lower
at 139.89.
The Nairobi All Share
is -3.98% year-to-date
which is a seriously
respectable performance
versus the rest of Africa
and the World.
The Nairobi NSE20
Index popped +0.68%
better to close at 3815.40.
Equity turnover clocked
477.904m.
We are at a stage
where our turnaround
strategy is beginning to
gain traction, Mbuvi
Ngunze, Kenya Airways
chief executive said late
on Monday and this
forthright comment from
a normally reticent CEO
encouraged the price
+3.571% higher to close

at 4.35.
Safaricom eased back
-0.96% to close at 15.55
and traded 4.394m
shares. We are at range
lows here and set to rebound in very short order.
Standard Group was
high-ticked +9.43% to
close at 29.00 on 900
shares.
Kenya Commercial
Bank closed unchanged at
39.75 and traded 2.144m
shares. There is an overhang of supply at 40.00,
which should be cleared
this week and thereafter
we should see upside traction ahead of the full year
earnings release.
Barclays Bank firmed
1.2% to close at 12.65
and traded 205,300
shares with a thin supply

side. Bloomberg reported

yesterday that Barclays
board is set to debate
future of Africa unit this
week.
In Africa, where Barclays has operated for
almost a century, pretax
profit slipped 7.7 per
cent in the third quarter,
compared with increases
at the credit-card and
personal and corporatebanking divisions. The
region reported a return
on equity of 9.7 per cent
in the third quarter, below
the banks target of at
least 11 per cent. Barclays
Bank had 52.2 billion
($75 billion) of assets, or
about 14 per cent of its
total, in the region.
Diamond Trust firmed
0.5% to close at a fresh

2016 high of 201.00.

DTB is +7.486% in 2016
and an outperformer.
CFC Standard Bank
surged +8.9% to close
at 79.50. CFC Standard
Bank traded just 1,100
shares and there was in
fact practically nothing
on the offer Side.
Jubilee Insurance traded
9,700 shares all at 474.00
+1.94%.
Industrial and Allied
Bamburi Cement closed
unchanged at 180.00 but
was stretching as high as
184.00 +2.22% at the
finish line and on heavy
volume action of 1.080m
shares worth 194.442m.
Bamburi Cement has seen
elevated volume action
in 2016 and is +2.857%
in 2016 considerably

outperforming the benchmark indices year-to-date.

Cement consumption
surged 10.7% through
Q3 2015 versus Q3 2014
and that is probably also
underpinning the move.
EABL closed unchanged at 281.00 but
was stretching as high as
285.00 +1.42% in to the
finish. EABL is +2.93%
and outperforming the
benchmark indices. The
interim results were a
predictable and positive
price catalyst.
KenGen firmed
+2.34735% to close at
6.55 and traded 300,200
shares. KenGen has
plenty of scope to the upside as the price remains
egregious. The PE has a
one handle.

40 international

the Star

India wants Vodafone to

pay $2bn in tax dispute

Indias tax office has sent Vodafone a reminder to pay $2 billion in

taxes and threatened the UK group
with seizure of local assets if it fails
to do so, despite the dispute being
the subject of an international arbitration process.
Vodafone, one of Indias largest
corporate investors, has been involved in a string of tax disputes
in India since it bought in 2007
Hutchisons local mobile business
to enter into the worlds secondbiggest market for mobile phone
users.
In the long-running dispute, the
telecoms group was held liable for
paying capital gains tax on the deal,
for which the reminder notice by
the Indian tax office has been sent.
The development comes even as
Prime Minister Narendra Modis
government has sought to move towards a tax-friendly regime to boost
foreign investment and reduce the
number of outstanding tax disputes
with multinational firms.
We can confirm that we have received a tax reminder from the tax
department that also references asset seizures in the event of non-payment, a London-based spokesman
for Vodafone said in a statement.
In a week when Prime Minister
Modi is promoting a tax-friendly
environment for foreign investors
this seems a complete disconnect
between government and the tax
department, the Vodafone statement said.
Indian revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia said in social media
posts that the tax offices notice to
Vodafone was a routine exercise
of sending notices in cases where
collection of dues was not stayed,
or temporarily put on hold, by any
court.

Photo/ reuters

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Supplied by Reuters

briefs
S Africas cost
of living rises
JOHANNESBURG South
Africas headline consumer
inflation quickened more
than expected to 6.2 per
cent year-on-year in January, compared with 5.2 per
cent in December, data
from Statistics South Africa
showed yesterday.
On a month-on-month
basis, prices rose 0.8
percent compared with an
increase of 0.3 per cent in
the previous month. Core
inflation, which excludes
the prices of food, nonalcoholic beverages, petrol
and energy, edged up to
5.6 per cent year-on-year
in January from 5.2 per
cent in the previous month,
while also rising to 0.7 per
cent month-on-month.

Iran plays hard

on oil talks

investment forum: Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swedens Prime Minister Stefan Lofven (R) visit a
pavilion at the exhibition centre of the Make In India week in Mumbai on February 13.

The party can always approach

assessing office with a request to
stay the demand as per law, Adhia
said in posts on his official Twitter
account late on Tuesday. In case assessing officer does not agree, party
can go to next higher authority and
get a stay.
In 2012, Indias Supreme Court
ruled that Vodafone was not liable
for any tax on the Hutchison deal,

but the government then changed

the law later that year to enable it
to tax such deals retrospectively,
demanding more than $2 billion be
paid.
In 2014 Vodafone then sought
international arbitration of the dispute, which has still not been settled.
A number of other multinational
companies including Royal Dutch

Shell Plc, IBM Corp, Microsoft

Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co have
fallen foul of Indias tax collectors
in recent years. In most of the cases
the tax department has charged the
firms with under-invoicing the value
of products, services or shares sold
to their parents and, therefore, lowering tax liabilities.
Reuters

ANKARA Iran signaled

yesterday it would take a
tough line in talks among
oil producers on restraining
production, saying it would
continue increasing its output until it reached levels
seen before international
sanctions were imposed.
Asking Iran to freeze
its oil production level is
illogical ... when Iran was
under sanctions, some
countries raised their
output and they caused the
drop in oil prices. Irans
OPEC envoy, Mehdi Asali,
was quoted as saying by
the Shargh daily newspaper.
How can they expect
Iran to cooperate now and
pay the price?

t MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

From Harvard Business Review

Sell Online
Visit:www.deveint.com/sell

KE

KES

Connect with a new online

market for your products
and services.
Ecommerce is the next frontier.
Don't be left behind.

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OLENGURUONE RD, OFF NYERI RD, KILELESHWA

Avoid common business

travel mishaps
Mishaps can strike any traveller, no
matter how seasoned. Heres how
frequent fliers avoid problems en route:
Check your layover. Always allow an
hour for a domestic layover and two
hours for an international flight.
Never, ever check a bag. Unless you
want it to get lost.
Know your airports. Figure out which
always have terrible lines, which have
amazingly fast intra-airport monorails,
and which will make you clear security
again mid-layover.
Try to clear customs at your
destination, not en route. This way at
least youre in the right country if you
end up in a long line.
Never take the last plane home. Book
the third-to-last or second-to-last flight
in case you get bumped.

the Star

business commentary 41

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The five pillars of the

budget policy statement

n Monday the approved Budget Policy

Statement was forwarded to Parliament
for debate as required
by the Public Finance Management Act, 2012. But what exactly should we be looking for in
a good Budget Policy Statement?
A good BPS is one that ensures
that investment in growth and
opportunity are compatible with
putting the nations finances on
a strong and sustainable path. It
is one that tackles the greatest
challenges facing the economy in
the most efficient and productive
way in order to maximise impact.
To do so, policy decisions need
to be based on research and evidence so that the government can
do more that works and less of
what does not work. At the same
time, it ensures that wasteful
spending in all its forms, including corruption, is eliminated.
Three years through the economic transformation agenda,
its time we evaluated whether
the transformation is happening
in a realistic manner. This way,
we can decide whether or not
we are on course and we need to
re-emphasise it as outlined in the
policy paper. Otherwise, perhaps
there is need to change course
altogether and look at things
differently.
The BPS outlines five pillars
through which it is expects the
economy to maintain a positive
growth momentum as well as
build resilience to both internal
and external shocks. It also aims
to minimise poverty through job
creation and to solidify Kenya as
a middle income country. One of
the key criteria for measuring the
success of the policies is therefore
the unlocking of the employment freeze in the public sector,
and increased employment in the
private sector.
The first pillar is to create a
conducive business environment
by tackling security and maintaining macroeconomic stability.
Businesses and households will
be looking forward to lower
interest rates, a stable foreign exchange rate and low inflation in
order facilitate growth and have
an affordable cost of living.
A facilitative business environment will support businesses to
create the one million jobs per
year promised by the Jubilee
administration and the expansion of the economy. With the
growing population and more
young people accessing higher
education, the need to create jobs
continues to be one the greatest
challenges to be addressed now
and going forward.
Security concerns continue to
negatively impact businesses,
with the tourism sector severely
affected by the threat of terrorism and negative travel advisories from key tourism markets.
Besides tourism, local businesses
and households spend heavily on
security at the expense of value
adding investments. We have to

expansion: The new Terminal 1A at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Infrastructure projects are key to development.

By Karen Kandie

Farmers need to
move their produce to
markets in a fast and
efficient manner to
cut post-harvest
wastage
wonder what alternative investment would be made with the
thousands of shillings currently
used to erect boundary walls and
burglar proof windows that have
become the norm. Insecurity
may also curtail investment altogether by making certain places
uninhabitable.
The second pillar is on infrastructure expansion to build on
competitiveness and facilitate
economic transformation. This
includes public investment in
road, rail, energy and water supplies.
So far the pace of infrastructure development in all these
areas has lagged behind the
demand and greatly constrained
economic progress, increased the
cost of doing business and confined many people in poverty.
Farmers need to move their
produce to markets in a fast and
efficient manner to cut postharvest wastage and maximise
on productivity. Workers and

children in major urban areas

like Nairobi need to reach their
places of work and school on
time without wasting productive
hours in endless traffic jams. In
order to build on the export market, both internal infrastructure
and external trade networks such
as efficient ports and airports are
needed.
The current prioritisation and
massive commitment on infrastructure projects by the current
administration is commendable,
and if well implemented without
significant leakages, has the potential to facilitate the envisaged
economic transformation.
The major infrastructure
projects under implementation
include the Northern Corridor
Transport Improvement Project,
the East Africa Road Network,
the South Sudan Link Road, the
Standard Gauge Railway, the
additional Terminal 1A at the
Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport, the modernisation of the

Port of Mombasa, the Lamu Port

and Southern-Ethiopia Transport
project, and a refocus on increasing energy production.
Pillar three focuses on sectorial
policies including agricultural,
manufacturing, and tourism
recovery, sports culture and arts.
The Kenyan economy is primarily agrarian although agricultural
productivity has faltered over the
decades for both cash crops such
as coffee, tea and pyrethrum as
well as food crops such as maize
and rice.
Even with 70 per cent of
households living in rural areas,
majority are not able to produce
enough food to feed their families, for one reason or another.
Unless significant focus is put
into agriculture, especially enabling households in rural areas
to be food sufficient, the future
food security of the country may
not be assured. Similarly, manufacturing sector, which has the
capacity to create the most jobs
at a faster rate than most other
sectors, has been on a declining
trend over the decades.
The growing import of cheap
merchandise from China and
other Asian countries has made
production even for local consumption uneconomical, and
also reduced export prospects for
locally manufactured goods. This
pillar is enormously critical for
any economic transformation to
occur.
The fourth pillar deals with the
social sectors; including health

care, quality and relevant education for all Kenyans, empowering youth, women and persons
with disabilities, environmental
conservation and scaling up
social safety nets. These are areas
with universal impact, they are
critical social equalisers and have
significant impact on the future
of the country and can only be
sustained by continuous investment.
The fifth and final pillar deals
with ensuring devolution works
for better service delivery. Counties are becoming the new centres
of economic activity and engines
of economic progress. Increased
allocation of shareable resources
is envisaged to spur development
in the counties. This is expected
to go hand in hand with steps
to strengthen accountability and
fiscal discipline in the use of the
resources.
The BPS makes a great attempt at capturing the various
aspirations of businesses and
households, and is potentially
transformative and well thought
through. The challenge remains
the ability to move past the
good intentions to implement
the policy footprint for a truly
economic transformation agenda
to be realised.
Karen Kandie is a financial &
risk consultant with First Trident
Capital and a PhD candidate in
finance at Catholic University of
Eastern Africa.
karenknd@gmail.com

REDS HEAD OUT

RAO ON COURSE

Jurgen Klopps Liverpool without

Stewart for trip to Augsburg for
Europa League showdown

IAAF Ethics Commission-appointed

investigator says report into AK
ofcials will be ready next month

FOOTBALL: Page 44

ATHLETICS: Page 45

GET ON THE INSIDE TRACK WITH YOUR...

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

star

BLUES ROCKED
Cavani gives Parisians
advantage in their
Champs League tie
BY MARTIN SAMUEL
SUPER subs used to be the fairy story
players in any team. Misfits, renegades,
local boys made good. They would come
off the bench and win the game against
the odds. At Paris Saint- Germain, it is
fair to say things are being done differently.
The substitute that took this
match away from Chelsea in the
2-1 defeat in Paris was, Edinson Cavani. He cost 55million
(Sh8.0bn) and was the most
expensive signing in the history
of French football.
It is a sign of the rapid development at PSG that he
no longer gets to start
every game, and often
plays in a wide
role with Zlatan Ibrahimovic
still the star of
the show, and
MATCH WINNER:
central. There
Edinson Cavani
have been rucelebrates scoring
mours he would
the second goal for
be open to a new
club for some
Paris St Germain
time. On Tuesday night against Chelsea.
he demonstrated why.
Chelsea must hate
playing Cavani. In seven Champions
League games against them, he
has three goals and made two
assists, and this intervention
could prove hugely significant. It was a smartly taken goal, although Courtois exceptional until

that point may have been disappointed to be defeated at

his near post.
The through ball was clipped neatly by Di Maria,
Cavani got inside Baba Rahman and finished
smartly with Courtois beaten, hard and low.
PSG pushed for the third that would have as
good as ended this tie, with Courtois smothering a fine chance from Ibrahimovic in injury time, but Chelsea will not be hugely
dispirited by this, even if PSG deserved
their win.
An away goal from that unlikeliest
of sources, John Obi Mikel, means that
a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on March 9
would see Chelsea through.
This has been a season of unlikely events and
here was one more. Mikel is currently a more prolific
goalscorer for Chelsea than Eden Hazard.
The passage of play began with a clumsy trip
on Lucas in the 38th minute for which he
was rightly booked by Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo.
Ibrahimovic lined up the free-kick and
took a rather poor one. He went for power
rather than precision, topped it low, and
against all merit got a lucky break. The ball
hit Mikel, who had taken his eye off it a
cardinal sin in the wall and wrong-footed
Courtois. PSG were ahead, Mikel stood accused. And then, with the last action of the
first-half, redemption.
The clock had ticked into injury time when
Chelsea won a corner. Willian took it, and
hit the first man. He then delivered a second and nailed it. Diego Costa got the
headed flick and the ball fell to Mikel,
on the edge of the six-yard box, directly in front of goal. He looked as
surprised as anyone, took half
a second to assess this unexpected windfall,
and rammed it
past the impressive Kevin
Trapp in
the PSG
goal.

Rio jokes at
Ronaldos
comments

Ibra swaps
two shirts
for his one
PARIS Saint-Germain talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic
(pictured) had an eventful
night as his side battled
to a 2-1 first leg victory over Chelsea in the
Champions League Round
of 16 first leg.
He scored the French
giants first goal of the
night via a deflected free
kick.
The forward, in his
twilight years, seemed
to be making the most of
the European experience
as he bagged a couple of
souvenirs to go with his
46th Champions League
goal.
Following the match
Ibrahimovic would swap
shirts with former Barcelona team-mate Pedro
and was also handed
another by Blues attacking midfielder midfielder
Willian.

Chelsea boss Guus envious of Parisians bench power

Photo/REUTERS

JEALOUS: Guus Hiddink.

BY MATT BARLOW
GUUS Hiddink confessed he was envious of Paris Saint-Germains riches
as Chelsea slumped to the brink of a
Champions League exit.
The Premier League champions
defended stoutly in the French capital
only to go down to a late winner
scored by substitute Edinson Cavani,
in the first leg of this last-16 tie.
John Obi Mikel scored what could
still prove a vital away goal after
Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring and Hiddink insists the tie can be
salvaged at Stamford Bridge.

A lack of concentration for three

or four seconds can give them an
advantage, said Chelseas interim
manager. A defeat is never a good
or nice feeling but it is a two-legged
game.
Scoring away is always good. We
reflect on that, and on the very good
defensive organisation.
We could have been more lethal
on the counter attack but technically the performance was very good
against a very strong team, and losing
2-1 means we re still in the race.
We have some weeks to prepare
for the second leg and I hope every-

one is on board for this game.

I envy the bench of PSG. A very
strong bench of 15 or 16 international players, which is very good. If you
see what this team can bring on in
the second half, world-class players
as substitutes. This is a very strong
PSG, a very well built team in their
total squad.
Of course the result is negative
on one side but on the other hand its
also important to have an away goal.
But it hurt a bit at the end because
I think the team was playing very
decently against a team which has a
lot of capacity to play.

RIO Ferdinand laughed off

Cristiano Ronaldos suggestion that he was not close
with his former Manchester
United team-mates.
Ronaldo took exception to
it being asked if the reason
Barcelona have been more
successful than Real Madrid
of late is because their
players get on better with
one another. I am going to
tell you something, replied
Ronaldo in a press conference on Tuesday.
When I was at United, I
didnt speak (off the pitch)
to (Ryan) Giggs, (Paul)
Scholes and (Rio) Ferdinand
except Good morning but
we won the Champions
League.
Hes gone off me! Rio
said. He used to come in in
tight jeans and we used to
murder him. He didnt get it.

Madrid flop
Faubert goes
on trial at
St Johnstone
ST Johnstone have taken
ex-Real Madrid and West
Ham winger Julien Faubert
(pictured) on trial. The
32-year-old has been a
free agent since leaving
Bordeaux in 2015 and is
seeking to win a deal at
McDiarmid Park.
He played for the Scottish Premiership clubs
Under 20 side on Monday
night, listed as a trialist.
Joining Faubert on trial are
defenders Daniel Adajo and
Plamen Krachunov.
Saints boss Tommy
Wright has been looking to
add pedigree and quality into his side, who sit
seventh in the table.
He told the Scottish Sun:
We have decided to bring
Julien, Daniel and Plamen
in on trial for the week.

The Star

sport 43

Thursday, February 18, 2016

premier league

Foxes Amartey to replace Saido escapes censure over

Simpson against Norwich alleged McCarthy stamp
Claudio Ranieri hopes
to have Daniel Amartey
(pictured) in contention for selection by the
time Norwich visit the
King Power Stadium on
February 27 with regular
right back Danny Simpson
suspended.
Amartey, signed for
5million (Sh725.3m)
from Copenhagen in
the January transfer
window, has yet to
be involved in a
Premier League
squad because his
match sharpness
needs work.
The 21-year-old
defender, who can
play in the centre
as well as

right back, has not played

a first-team fixture since
December 6 because
of the winter break in
Denmark but completed
90 minutes in Leicesters
development squad win
over Manchester City on
Monday night.
Amartey also played the
entire game the previous
week against Readings
Under 21s and is the
most natural fit to
replace Simpson as
Leicester look to
respond to defeat
at Arsenal against
strugglers Norwich.
The Ghana international has 10 days
to step up his
fitness.

West Brom striker Saido

Berahino has escaped punishment from The FA following
an off-the-ball incident with
Evertons James McCarthy.
Everton manager Roberto
Martinez said Berahino should
have been given a red card
for an apparent stamp on
McCarthy.
But referee Neil Swarbrick
missed the incident and the
FA have decided not to take
any retrospective action.
The FA are not able to rely
on the words of a manager,
nor static pictures, so had to
find video footage in order to
charge Berahino.
But the not-seen incident
panel, made up of three ex-

Feyenoord hire Advocaat

as technical adviser

referees, has looked at the

footage and was not unanimous on whether it constituted violent conduct, so no
further action will be taken.
West Brom ran out 1-0 winners at Goodison Park, the result seeing them move eight
points clear of the Barclays
Premier League relegation
zone.
Martinez, aggrieved at
the decision not to punish
Berahino, said after the game:
The ball was stopped and Berahino just stamps on James
McCarthy.
I dont know what happened. I thought the referee
was in a good position and
shouldve seen that.

Feyenoord have hired

experienced coach Dick
Advocaat (pictured) as
a technical adviser to
try to help the former
European champions
emerge from a slump
in which they have lost
seven successive Dutch
league matches.
Feyenoord trailed then
leaders Ajax Amsterdam by just two points
on December18. Since
then, however, they have
failed to earn a single
point and are sixth in
the standings, 20 points
behind current pacesetters PSV Eindhoven.
The 68-year-old
Advocaat, who saved
Sunderland from relega-

tion last season before

parting ways with the
Premier League club
in October, agreed to
help coach Giovanni van
Bronckhorst.
Advocaat will exercise his functions as adviser in the background.
He will observe training
and matches and hold
discussions but will not
sit on the bench, the
club said in a statement

Devils facING test

Will United be next scalp in Midtjyllands moneyball fairytale in Europa League tie?
BY CHRIS WHEELER
They sound like something
out of a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale and the rise
of Midtjylland, Manchester
Uniteds opponents in the
Europa League tonight, has
been no less magical.
Only formed in 1999,
the year Sir Alex Ferguson
delivered an historic Treble
to Old Trafford, the Danish
underdogs were in danger
of going out of business
until Brentford owner Matthew Benham came to the
rescue in 2014.
A year later, Midtjylland
were crowned champions
of Denmark for the first
time. Today, in the 11,800capacity MCH Arena in
Herning, they face the biggest game in the clubs short
history.
Louis van Gaals side
would be well advised not
to underestimate a team lying third in the Danish Superliga.
The transformation of
Midtjylland has centred on
the mathematical models

devised by Benham, a professional gambler. Using the

same metrics as Benham
does to predict results and
beat the bookmakers, they
are based on the strengths
and weaknesses of different
teams or players.
A group of analysts in
London work on targeting
signings from across Europe. In Herning, a town
with a population of less
than 50,000, the statisticians provide the data they
need to give Midtjylland
the best odds of success.
Benham dislikes the inevitable Moneyball comparison, preferring to say that
his approach reduces the
element of luck and what
he calls randomness.
His right-hand man and
Midtjylland chairman Rasmus Ankersen explains:
Innovation in business
and football doesnt come
from the clubs with the
most money.
If you can win by outspending your competitors,
then why would you have
to think different?

Photo/reuters

ON TEST: Uniteds Wayne Rooney talks to referee Andre Marriner at the end of the match against Sunderland .The
Premier League giants have struggled this season and face an inspired Midtjylland of Denmark tonight.

Villas-Boas rules out UK return as London stints did not go well

LONDON

ENGLAND? NO THANKS: Former Chelsea and Tottenham

manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Former Chelsea and

Tottenham manager Andre
Villas-Boas has dismissed
the prospect of a return to
the Premier League.
The 38-year-old is set to
leave Zenit Saint Petersburg at the end of the
season but his next job will
not be back in England,
following his previous
experience.
No I think my time has
been done there. It didnt
go as well as I expected,
apart from the first year at

Tottenham, so I will look

forward to trying other
leagues, the Portuguese
told BT Sport after his
sides 1-0 defeat at Benfica
in the Champions League
on Tuesday night.
Asked where he might
go, he added: I dont
know, hopefully something
good.
Villas-Boas was sacked
by Chelsea in March 2012
less than 10 months into a
three-year contract as the
Blues struggled to finish in
the top four.
He was appointed Tot-

tenham manager that summer and guided Spurs to

a fifth-placed finish in the
Premier League, missing
fourth spot, and a Champions League place, by just
one point.
In December 2013 VillasBoas left White Hart Lane
shortly after a 6-0 defeat
at Manchester City and a
5-0 home loss to Liverpool.
He departed the club with
the highest percentage of
league wins of any manager in the clubs Premier
League era at that time.
Villas-Boas will have

been Zenit manager for

two years next month. He
won the Russian Premier
League in his first full season but his time at the club
has turned sour and earlier
this campaign he served a
six-game ban for assaulting
a match official.
Zenit, currently midway
through a domestic winter
break, coasted through
their Champions League
group this season with five
wins from six matches but
they are currently sixth
in the Russian Premier
League.

the Star

sport 47

Thursday, February 18, 2016

volleyball

MALKIA BAG BRONZE

KVF meet to decide if the team will feature in inter-continental show

TAKE THAT: Kenyas Mercy Moim in action against Cameroon in their opening match of the Africa Olympic qualifiers

BY AGNES MAKHANDIA
KENYA defeated Algeria 3-0 (25-19, 25-21,
26-24) to settle for a bronze medal as the
curtains came down on the African Olympic qualifiers for women on Tuesday night in
Yaounde, Cameroon.
The Malkia Strikers, who had lost in the
semi-final against bitter rivals Egypt on Monday, recovered to beat Algeria.
Now they have a chance to qualify for the
Brazil Olympics at the world Olympic qualification tournament alongside Egypt, with
Colombia (3rd in South America) and Puerto
Rico (third in Norceca).
Kenya and Algeria played a depressing
game after they missed the chance to qualify
for the final in Yaounde.
The East Africans showed more vigour as
they dominated the net action through their
better blocking and spike service to destabilise

the North Africans and win in straight sets.

Mercy Moim, who plies her trade in Finland
with club Ploki Orpo, led the Kenyan scorers
with 7 points followed by Joan Chelagat (6).
Algerias Yasmine Abdelrrahim led the losers with 11 points followed by captain Safia
Boukhima 8.
Asked if the Kenya Volleyball Federation are
planning to send the team to the second phase
of qualifiers in Japan between April and May,
KVF vice chairman Martin Makokha said: I
cant comment on it now. What I know is that
we will have a national executive committee
meeting this weekend to brainstorm on the
way forward.
We will look at our opponents and weigh
our chances of qualifying and decide from
there.
We will also discuss on the preparation
and hosting of the FIVB womens club championship to be staged in Nairobi in April,

said the official.

Meanwhile, Cameroon booked their Rio
Olympic Games ticket following the ground
breaking 3-2 (25-14, 25-27, 21-25, 25-23,
15-7) victory over Egypt in the final of the African qualifier at Palais des Sports in Yaounde,
on Tuesday.
Cameroon led comfortably in the first set
before Egypt rebounded aggressively using
their tight block to come back and win two
successive sets to leading 2-1.
Cameroon rebounded back to win the
fourth set extending the match to tie-breaker,
where they used the spirit of their supporters
to win it widely 15-7.
The powerful opposite spiker Nana
Tchoudjang led Cameroons scores with 21
points followed by middle blocker Stephanie
Fotoso 19 points.
Aya El Shami led the losers with 22 points
followed by Nada Meawad 15.

rugby

KRU chasing Sevens sponsorship deal with DHL

BY WILLIAM NJUGUNA
Kenya Rugby Union are in
talks with logistics and document handling company DHL
as shorts sponsors for the Kenya
Sevens team.
KRU chairman Richard
Omwela said negotiations have
been ongoing for the past two
months and hopes an agreement
can be reached before the Kenya
Sevens team departs for Las
Vegas in two weeks time.
Omwela said the sponsorship would be in the region of
between Sh30-40 million for the
shorts sponsor.
He said with the reduced
sponsorship coming from Kenya
Airways, the union had to look
for alternative means and DHL

was one of them.

The airline sponsorship as
you are aware has been reduced
so we are trying to look at
supplementing the money we
receive, added Omwela
Shirt sponsor Kenya Airways
had to cede the short and socks
and other properties to other
sponsors after facing liquidity
problems and will remain shirt
sponsor for the next one year.
The airline forked out Sh36
million to cater for the teams
salaries and allowances for this
season.
Omwela expressed delight
at the recent performances of
the Kenya Sevens side, which is
currently ranked eighth with 42
points.
Im satisfied with the recent

improvement in form. We have

gone for a home-based technical
bench and its paying dividends
and its a step in the right direction, he added.

FOCUSED: Richard Omwela

Omwela said the team now

can aim higher with the six legs
remaining on the world series
before the Rio Olympics.
Elsewhere, former Kisumu
and Kisii RFC occupy the top
two slots in the Western Regions Pool A. Kisumu beat Kisii
25-8 to open up a four-point
lead in the Nationwide League.
Shieywe, Bungoma and
Masinde Muliro are in a threeway tie in Pool B.
Shieywe are sitting top by
virtue of a superior try count
despite being tied on 11 points
with Bungoma. Both sides have
won two and lost one.
Masinde Muliro boast a similar win-loss record but sit third
after collecting one less bonus
point than the leading duo.

highlights

Savannah to
field team in
First Lady run
BY CONSOLATA MAKOKHA
Local Cement manufacturer,
Savannah Cement will field an allladies staff team at the forthcoming
third edition of the First Ladys Half
Marathon on March 6 at Nyayo
Stadium.
The team, comprising human resource executives, process
engineers, sales and marketing
executives among other staffers, has
already commenced training at the
firms manufacturing complex near
Kitengela town ahead of the Beyond
Zero Campaign flagship fundraising event.
While presenting Sh1million
donation in aid of the Beyond
Zero initiative, Savannah Cement,
managing director, Ronald Ndegwa
said the firm will also enter another
team.
Savannah Cement, will field two
teams including an all-ladies squad
that has also dedicated itself, to providing peer education on maternal
health and related concerns which
resonates with the projects objectives, Ndegwa said, adding, Beyond the marathon, the ladies have
made a voluntary and conscious
decision to continue championing the Beyond Zero cause in their
areas of social influence.
To date, the Beyond Zero Campaign has provided mobile clinics to
36 out of 47 counties; with support
largely from private sector in form
of funds, bio-medical equipment,
technical and logistical support.
We want to lend our helping
hand to the Beyond Zero Campaign, in whichever way possible to
help reduce mother and child mortality at birth; through provision of
quality healthcare, said Ndegwa.

Road to Rio gets

boost as couple
bag Sh2 million
By Star correspondent
Love birds Damaris Muema and
Robert Koech are the latest beneficiaries of the Road to Rio fundraising efforts.
The couple won Sh1million each
during the Lotto draw last weekend and they are happy to have
supported Team Kenya to the Rio
Olympic Games.
Lotto have partnered with
National Olympic Committee of
Kenya (NOC-K) in the fund raising
efforts towards the Rio Games.
Its never a bad thing when you
have a little money and the people
you love have it too, said Damaris.
Mogi Nyangau also won
Sh1,000,000 and his wife, Teresa
Kemunto received Sh250,000 bonus, all in the spirit of Valentine.
I am very happy. I have been
playing Lotto since November last
year. In fact, when I heard I had
won, I was very shocked, he said.
We had just come from hospital; my wife wasnt feeling well so
by the time the call came, she was
asleep. After they told me I was a
millionaire, they asked to speak
to her and I had to wake her up
to receive her Valentines bonus of
Sh250,000, he noted.

VOLLEYBALL

star

KVF to decide if
Malkia Strikers
will proceed to
Japan repechage
SEE PAGE 47

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

FOOTBALL

GOR CONTAINED

Three-time Kenya Premier League champions held to a barren draw

BY FRANCIS WADEGU
HOLDERS Gor Mahias rocky
start to the 2016 campaign continued yesterday with a goalless
SportPesa Premier League draw
against Chemelil Sugar in their
opening match in Kisumu.
The stuttering champions did
not find their footing at Moi
Stadium following a below par
start to the season that saw Frank
Nuttals side concede their DStv
Super Cup to Bandari and then
losing their home leg CAF Champions League tie to Madagascans
CNaPS.
Chemelil, were determined to
start the season well after the
disjointed campaign that nearly
ended in relegation.
For the first time in over a year,
Gor Mahia goalkeeper Boniface
Oluoch was missing from the
starting line up in a league match,
just days after he was forced to
deny he had a major row with
Nuttal.
The official explanation was
that Oluoch was nursing a back
problem thus skipper Jerim Onyango stepped in to take his
place. Gor started brightly and
could have got a fourth minute
opener but burly forward Enock
Agwanda could not reach an inviting cross from Francis Kahata.
The holders continued to threaten but still lacked the cutting edge
to disturb the Chemelil back-line
that had Willis Ouma back in

their ranks. Midway through the

half, veteran Hillary Echesa had
Jerim scrambling to cover his goal
with a grass cutter free kick in
the most notable move up front
for Francis Barazas sugar millers.
Agwandas trademark long
throws nearly created an opportunity for George Odhiambo but
the once deadly striker shot wide.
When he hit the ball past Chemelil keeper Samuel Odhiambo two
minutes later, Blackberry thought
the ball had crossed the line but
David Ojwang had reacted quickest to snatch the ball.
After the break, Chemelil
brought in Apollo Onyango for
Echesa but it was Gor who still
looked the side more likely to
score.
Kahata wasted a chance to test
Samuel when Gor got a good set
piece opportunity just outside the
box. Clear cut chances were rare
and it was no surprise that the
game eventually ended goalless,
a result that has left many a title
contender rubbing their hands expectantly.
One of them Bandari will be
out to show they can finally challenge for the league title when
they clash with Nairobi City Stars
this afternoon.
The strong finish to the last
campaign coupled by their top
notch signing of Danny Sserenkuma must be giving the coastals hope.

Photo/PIC-CENTRE

MISSED CHANCE: Enock Agwanda of Gor Mahia failed to reach inviting

cross from Francis Kahata in Kisumu SportPesa remier League match.

ATHLETICS

TENNIS

Ndenga hit
by Morocco
star Khelifi
in final duel
BY WILLIAM NJUGUNA
JANE Ndenga lost
to Moroccos Malika
Khelifi 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
in the Nairobi Open
wheelchair tennis ladies
final held yesterday.
Moroccos Boukartacha Lhaj beat compatriot Ayoub Ettali 6-3,
6-4 in the mens final.
Ndenga started
brilliantly grabbing a
4-0 lead before Khelifi fought back to 4-2.
Ndenga won the seventh for 5-2 but a lapse
in concentration saw
Khelifi come to 4-5.
Ndenga then regained
her composure to seal
the first set.
Khelifi came out
firing in the second set
to lead 2-0 but Ndenga
tied the match 2-2.
The next four games
went to serve and the
scores were tied at
4-all. Khelifi then broke
Ndenga to lead 5-4 and
clinched the final game
of the set to tie the
match.
Ndenga started the
third set poorly with
Khelifi dominating the
opening exchanges to
lead 3-0.
Ndenga reduced
the margin to 3-2 but
Khelifi stepped up a
gear to win the next
four games clinch the
set and match.

AK merge track and field meetings with relays

Photo/FILE

BY MUIGAI KIGURU

TARGETED: Ferguson Rotich (C) leads

Sammy Kirongo (L) and Joshua Masikonde.

ATHLETICS Kenya have

merged weekend track and
field meetings with relays in a
move aimed to include youth
competitions starting this
weekend in Bondo.
AK public relations officer
Evans Bosire said the move to
include youth competitions is
an effort to realise probables
for the 2017 IAAF under 18
championships in Nairobi in
July next year.
We are hoping to identify
talented runners in the youth
category for next years world
event, said Bosire.

We are inviting all primary

schools around Bondo as well
as from other regions to send
teams to this weekends event.
Bosire said there will be
competitions in all track and
field events starting from 100m
to 10,000m, javelin, high jump,
triple jump and discus for both
men and women.
Even the youths will take
part in most of these events
since we want to have a 100
per cent representation at the
IAAF event, added Bosire.
Mumias will be next on February 26-27 followed by Thika
(March 4 5), Nakuru (March

18-19), Kisii (April 1-2) and

Eldoret (April 14-15).
Athletics Kenya Nyanza
North chairman Joseph
Ochieng said they are expecting a big turn-out.
Being an Olympic year, we
are expecting a large number
of athletes to show up for the
event as part of their preparations ahead of the Rio Games,
said Ochieng.
We did not invite individual
runners because we were certain most would be interested.
They are not taking chances
and will want to participate in
a competitive event to gauge
themselves, he added.

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